The heart doesn't forget
by Heidi Mae
Summary: Post finale 1 year later. AU and probably slightly OOC. Elena has been missing since the night Katherine came back. One brother never stopped looking for her.
1. I won't give up

**Title: **The heart doesn't forget

**AN**: Don't worry I'm still working hard on my other story. But this idea came to me on vacation and I just had to post it. Just a warning updates will probably be slow until Second Best is finished.

**Summary: **Post finale 1 year later. AU and probably slightly OOC. Elena has been missing since the night Katherine came back. One brother never stopped looking for her.

* * *

**Chapter 1: "I won't give up" **

Damon grunted as the sun hit his eyes. He was driving through Georgia again. For some reason he hoped Elena would have tried to find her way back to here. He had been to city after city town after town and state for almost a year looking for her. He wasn't going to give up. He cursed as he drove through the town that brought on so many fond memories of the short little road trip that he and Elena had solidified their bond on.

"This is all the bitch's fault and whatever blame doesn't rest on her rests on Stefan" Damon said out loud. Remembering the night she returned to Mystic falls and he lost Elena. Katherine had pretended to be Elena and had stolen a very private moment from him. By the time Damon had realized what had happened Elena was long gone.

After weeks of hunting her with Ric and Stefan's help Damon eventually managed to trap Katherine he tortured her in the cellar for almost a month. He was sure she would eventually break and tell him where Elena was.

"I should have sensed it" Damon muttered. Stefan started visiting her more and more. Katherine wasn't as weak as she should have been. Stefan had been helping the bitch. Granted she manipulated him into to it but still. Damon grunted as he remembered how Katherine had somehow managed to mysteriously escape and Stefan was clueless about the whole thing.

"I think she's telling the truth Damon" Stefan had said "Maybe Elena really did just run off"

"Idiot" Damon said out loud still glad he punched Stefan in the face then for his sheer stupidity. Damon didn't waste anymore time. He tried to convince Bonnie to do a locator spell but she refused to help him so he went off in search for her.

He wasted very little time in each town. He would wander around ask people if they had seen her. Try to get a sense of her. Then he would find someone to feed from and leave. He didn't even take joy on feeding anymore. It was just necessary to keep going to find Elena. He wasn't sure he could ever feel anything again until he found her. He had to know she was okay. His mind raced constantly with fears of the different things Katherine could have done to her.

He tried to avoid his feelings for her but the longer her way away from her the more he hurt. It tore at his very core hurting over a woman again. But he couldn't help it. Elena had opened up something in him that had been closed for a very long time. he let her in and he would never regret that. He knew how much it was going to hurt now when he did find her and she would end up going back to Stefan.

But he didn't care so long as he knew she was safe. If he had to spend the rest of her life as the buddy she bantered and augured with and even sometimes flirted with. He didn't mind. He would suffer through it because nothing was worse then this year had been without her. He felt like he had a huge hole on his chest that no amount of blood or anything could fill. And it wasn't for lack of trying.

He kept driving trying to focus on where she could be what Katherine could have done with her. He suddenly wished he hadn't killed Bree he could really use a witch right now. He stopped off at a bar to grab a drink and tried to bury his sorrows but found memories of Elena overtaking him as the guilt set in on him.

He should have known better.. he should have known it was Katherine on the porch that night. No matter how much he loathed and hated both Katherine and Stefan for this. He couldn't help but hate himself for the role he played in all of this.

"I wont give up" he said softly whispering the same promise he whispered to her every night.

* * *

A young brunette woke early to the sounds of her roommates footsteps clamoring down the hall.

"Happy birthday Janie!" The blond said excitedly bring a tray of pancakes into the room and smiling. Her blue eyes glittering.

"Thanks Ashley" The girl smiled a but her deep brown eyes remained sad "But we have no idea when my birthday really is"

"I know Janie" Ashely smiled "But you have been here for exactly a year today so your birthday had to have happened. We might as well celebrate it today"

"Okay" Janie said trying to feel some sort of excitement but she just felt sad knowing a full year had passed and they still knew so little.

"You know Andrew was kind of hoping we could go out on his boat today" Ashley suggested innocently.

Janie sighed "I don't want to give him any false hope Ashely. I could never be with him"

"Oh my little Jane Doe. I have come to think of you as sister over this past year. I have to be honest with you.. you may not ever remember and we might not ever find your family" Ashely said slowly "It may be time for you to start moving on and accepting the life you have now"

"Ashely... I can't give up." Janie said tears brimming in her eyes.

"Because of the dream you keep having?" Ashely said taking her hand.

"Its not a dream" Janie said firmly 'Its a memory I know it is."

"But Janie.. how could your entire memory be gone except for one moment?" Ashely asked gently.

"It must have been an extremely important moment in my life. To strong for me to forget" Janie said sitting up and staring at Ashley thoughtfully.

"I suppose" Ashely said "I just hate to see you so sad. Andrew is a really nice guy you know."

"I know but I'm pretty sure I love him" Janie said.

"The man in your dream" Ashely stated.

"Memory" Janie corrected. "Yes I know actually. I know I love him. The man in my memory. That's why it hurts so much whenever I wake up and he's gone"

"I wont give up" Janie said somberly "I have to find him"

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_**~Please review!**_


	2. Georgia on my mind

**Chapter 2 Georgia on my mind**

Janie finished up the blueberry pancakes Ashley made for her "birthday" quickly and hurried to get dressed. She wondered when her real birthday was and how old she was. Ashley had guessed 18 or 19 and Janie was pretty sure that seemed right but she had no idea. When she arrived in Orange County FL. Ashley a petite blond girl with sparkly blue eyes and an amazing heart had found her.

She said Janie was sitting outside of a bus terminal crying and seemed so lost. She couldn't remember how she got there or who she was. It was the worst feeling in the world not remembering. Without Ashley she wasn't sure she would have survived. But Ashely saw a kindred spirit in the lost girl that she quickly dubbed her "little Jane Doe" and insisted that she came stay with her and her cousin Andrew a tall blond boy with soft hazel eyes. He seemed familiar to Janie somehow like maybe she once knew someone like him. She took to him quickly but only as a friend. From the start Janie felt like her heart already belonged to someone.

For weeks Andrew and Ashely tried to help the poor girl find who she was. Andrew was a rookie police officer and had access to several records but they could not find a missing girl that fit her description reported anywhere in Florida. But Andrew didn't give up he searched several state records and police databases even abused his privileges a bit to help her. But to no avail. He deduced she may have left home on her own and was either already 18 or close enough that her disappearance didn't cause a huge stir. This set the girl into a long depression. She hardly ate or left her room for almost a full month. She wasn't sure she could go on never knowing who she was.

Then she had the dream of him. She hadn't had any dreams since she got there until that night. She felt like all hope was lost and she just wanted to give up. She cried for hours that night until she finally fell asleep and was jolted awake by the most wonderful dream.. it had to be real. She was a ball or a very formal dance of some kind. She had her hair curled back and had a beautiful blue dress on.

She was waiting on top of the stairs. She remembered feeling nervous and then she locked her eyes on the most amazing blue eyes she could even imagine. She felt her nerves ease as she glided down the stairs to him. Her memory cut out then and she woke up but she suddenly felt the same ease come over her. She had the strangest feeling that she could hear him somewhere telling her he was looking for her and he was going to find her. That's when Janie knew she could never give up. She would find herself somehow. She realized she had the strength to keep going.

Ashely was happy for her and took it as a good sign that Janie was getting her memory back. But she was slightly worried that it may have just been a dream. Janie refused to believe that. It had to be real. It just had to.

Janie brushed her long brown hair straight and gazed into her reflection as thoughts of this past year saddened her. A whole year and still she was so lost... But last night gave her new hope. Janie smiled slightly as last nights dreams entered her mind again.

She remembered more of him from that night. She remembered dancing with him. At first they weren't touching but it didn't really matter their eyes were so locked on each other the rest of the room disappeared. Janie couldn't even remember the scenery around her all she remembered was his eyes gazing at her his mouth slightly upturned into a smile. His dark hair glistening in the sun bringing out the impossible blueness of his eyes. She could feel an amazing feeling take over her as she remembered the dance.. and when the dance changed and he took her into his arms with a swiftness and confidence that over took all her senses. He seemed to pull her even closer and his eyes never left hers not for one second. She could feel herself smiling. Janie was still smiling as she sat on the bed and memorized this new precious memory.

"He loves me" She said to herself "I know he does. A man doesn't look at a woman like that unless he loves her. Is he my boyfriend? He must be. The way he made me feel during that dance. I know I love him. I have to find him"

Janie groaned as she realized what a daunting task that was turning out to be. She didn't really know how she was supposed to search for a guy on nothing but appearances short of going out and looking for him. So that's what she decided to do. Ashely got Janie a job at the diner she worked at. But whatever Janie didn't pay for rent she had been saving up. The only way she was ever going to find herself was by going out and looking for it.

"It's time" Janie decided heading down the stairs to break the news to her friends.

* * *

Damon stopped at the bar Bree had once worked at early in the morning before leaving Georgia. He figured he'd stay clear of those that would want him dead by showing up during the day.

"Well back again are ya?" the day bartender Frank smiled getting Damon a bourbon.

"Yeah.. you know the pattern." Damon said taking the full shot in one sip.

"So no sign of her yet?" Frank asked sadly. He really felt for this poor man. Every few months he would stop back here on his search hoping the girl would have found this place. Apparently it had some meaning to them and Damon was hoping she would come back here. Frank worried that maybe the girl didn't want to be found but knew better then to voice his opinion to the young man.

"No" he grunted. "Nothing.. I feel like Ive been everywhere. Maybe it's time to start retracing my steps. I may have been close and missed her all together for all I know"

"Well good luck Son" Frank said handing him another bourbon before going to help another customer.

Damon's phone rang.

"Hey Jeremy" Damon answered right away.

"Any sign of Elena yet" Jeremy asked immediately.

"Don't you think if I found her I would have called you?" Damon snapped annoyance and frustration

taking root of him.

"I know.. it just always seems to be the first thing to ask" Jeremy said sheepishly. "Look Damon why don't you let me help you search. Stefan even trusts me not to be locked in the cellar anymore. Bonnie.. not so much but... come on you know you can cover more ground with me."

"No Jeremy I don't want you helping me.. your just getting used to your new lifestyle. Your not ready to traveling among humans yet" Damon said quietly.

"I suppose" Jeremy sighed in frustration he hated feeling so helpless and he hated the way he left things with his sister.

"I do think you should leave Mystic Falls soon though.. people will start to notice your not aging and at an age where you would normally be aging rapidly" Damon continued in his hushed tone.

"I agree.. I'm just worried about Jenna you know. Let's not forget our back story. That Stefan was once on drugs and can help me with my addiction if I stay with him. If and when I leave Jenna will assume the worst. If it's not bad enough that she thinks Elena ran off she's going to _break_ when I go too" Jeremy sighed trying to access the switch to turn these feeling off so he could just go. But it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be before he made this decision.

"Then don't just run away" Damon snapped sounding annoyed."Compel the school to give you an early college program far away or something"

"That's a good idea!" Jeremy exclaimed. "I really do want to get out of here. Your mopey brother is driving me insane."

Damon chuckled "Just make sure you don't _actually_ go to college. You can't.."

"Yeah I know I know I cant handle that yet. Your sounding like Stefan"

"If you value your undead life you will never say that to me again kid" Damon growled into the phone and snapped it shut. Every time he starts to like that damn kid he makes some wisecrack comment that pisses him off. Damon shook his head.

He hoped Elena would be happy that he had taken care of Jeremy as much as he could during his change. Finding Elena proved a bit more important and he probably didn't focus as much time on him as he should have. When Katherine escaped and Damon had to leave he trusted Stefan and Ric to help Jeremy and they did. But Jeremy still called often for advice and Damon surprisely found himself not minding assisting the kid.

He motioned for Frank to bring him another Bourbon as he pulled out his map and studied it trying to decide where to go next.

* * *

"Hey guys" Janie said softly entering the kitchen.

"Hey Janie. You look sad.. you okay?' Andrew asked looking concerned.

"Yeah.. I'm okay. I'm sad because I'm leaving" She said. "I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me. But I am never going to find myself sitting around here."

"Or him?" Andrew asked softly knowing she really wanted to go look for him. But that did mean finding herself after all. He just wanted her to be happy.

"But Janie you cant go by yourself" Ashley said "You could get lost.. honey you don't even know where to start looking"

"I know" She sighed her brown eyes determined nonetheless. "But maybe I just drive to a couple of places ask around. We've done that here in Florida but what about some of the surrounding states? Like Andrew said you found me at a bus terminal so I must live close to here"

"Well" Andrew pulled out a map "That's not a bad idea actually, Georgia is close enough and so is..

"What did you say" Janie said sitting up straighter

"Georgia" Andrew said his eyes widening "Are you remembering something?"

"Maybe it's your home!" Ashley exclaimed "But you don't have a southern accent.."

"Well I don't remember anything but I feel a pull to it." Janie smiled slightly "I'm going there"

"Well your not going alone" Ashley said firmly "I 've been to Georgia quite a few times. I'm going with you"

"I would but.. my job" Andrew said sheepishly.

"Andrew I would never want you to risk your job. Ashley what about your job? I can't

let you give it up to come with me" Janie said shaking her head.

"Janie.. I work at a diner. Big deal. I have money in savings. I'm coming with you." Ashely crossed her arms in her I'm not backing down stance. Janie smiled at how this tiny little girl had been her rock for these months.

"Why?" Janie asked suddenly "Your afraid I wont find him aren't you?"

Ashely shrugged her eyes shifting to the floor "I really _really_ hope you do and if you do I want to be there to see you so happy. If not.. then I need to be there to help you get through it. Janie you have become my best friend over this year."

Janie pushed back tears "Thank you. I really could use your support. I think of you as my best friend too. I couldn't have made it through this year without your help"

"Enough of the sappy!" Ashely drawled hugging her friend tight.

"Georgia here we come" Ashely said excitably and Janie felt a real sense of excitement and hope for the first time she could remember.

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Hope you liked! Please review!


	3. Two trains collide

Chapter 3 **Two trains collide**

Damon sighed as he hurried to pack the rest of his clothes and get out of Georgia. He always stayed here to long hoping she would show up. He couldn't waste anymore time. It had taken him longer then expected to find someone in town to feed from. Apparently Bree had supplied vervain to many of the people here.

"Stupid witch" Damon muttered. Hurrying out of his room and down to his car.

By the time he was packed up and in his car he realized he had left the bar nearly 2 hours ago. He had wanted to leave much earlier. The more people he could talk to and show Elena's picture too the better. He sped out of the hotel parking lot.

* * *

Ashely turned the radio up and put the car on cruise control as she and Janie started drive through Atlanta. They had been driving for a few hours now. Janie wouldn't tear her eyes from the windows hoping to see something that was familiar to her.

"Here we are in _Georgia_" Ashely drawled in fake southern accent.

Janie jumped a bit in her seat.

"What is it Janie?" Ashely asked "Are you remembering something?"

"It was just the way you said that. It gave me deja vu sort of feeling" Janie murmured her brown eyes thoughtfully looking out at the scenery.

"Keep going down this road" Janie said softly.

"Do you feel like you know it?"

"I don't know.. it's weird. I cant remember being here. But it seems familiar." Janie said.

Ashely slowed down a bit as Janie took in the sights.

Suddenly a slick black Ferrari went whizzing past them.

Janie gasped.

"Are you okay?' Ashley said putting her hand on Janie's shoulder as she pulled over.

"Yeah" Janie gasped "I just got a weird feeling there for a second."

"Well of course you did honey. Its called _fear_ some maniac just whizzed past is going over 100 miles an hour. I just about peed my pants myself" Ashely smiled squeezing Janie's shoulder.

Janie laughed "Well there's a bar up there. Maybe we should go get some water and calm down for a minute"

"Good idea" Ashley agreed pulling in. "I wish we had fake IDs I could really use a drink right now."

"yeah me too" Janie smiled as they walked in to the bar.

"Oh my god" The man behind the counter stared at her wide eyed. He was an older looking man with gray hair and a gentle face. Janie gazed curiously at him.

"I'm sorry miss" The man said "But are you Elena Gilbert?"

Janie's eyes widened. "You know me?"

She walked up to the counter with a stunned Ashley in tow.

"Ive never met you personally. But someone had been looking for you he's showed me your picture." The man said "I'm Frank... and you are Elena?"

"I don't know" She said sadly. "I must be.. what does the man look like? The one that has been looking for me?"

"Damon. Well he's a good looking young man tall dark hair blue eyes a bit pale" Frank described.

"It's him" Janie gasped grabbing Ashely;s arm. "The man I remember"

"Damon" Janie whispered his name.

"Where is he?" She asked Frank.

"He left a while ago.. You just missed each other. Talk about about irony" Frank said "You girls need some beers?"

"Badly" Ashely said sitting up at the bar. "I wouldn't call it irony more like two trains passing in the night.. it's so romantic Janie.. er Elena.. wow what a beautiful name you have."

"Thanks" Elena said "Elena" She said it out loud thoughtfully. It felt right.

Frank looked st them curiously. "Is she okay? She's not on drugs or anything is she?"

"No.. she's not on drugs. She's lost her memory. Well most of it. The only thing she remembers is this Damon."

"Just one memory of him actually" Elena said frowning. "Do you know where he went I have to find him"

"He didn't say" Frank said "but I have his number, I promised to call him if you ever showed up here" He quickly dialed Damon's number. Elena felt her heart racing in her chest.

"Yeah" She heard the rough and somehow musical voice distantly from where she sat. Ashley was squeezing her hand in excitement.

"She's here" Frank started.."Hello.. he hung up."

"Why?" Elena frowned worry seeping into her soft brown eyes.

"Probably because he just turned around and is racing back here" Ashely said rolling her eyes and hugging her best friend tightly. She could feel Elena's heart racing.

"Janie.. I mean Elena. Don't be upset if your memory doesn't come racing back the second you see him. It might take time still." Ashley said gently.

"I know" Elena said softly.

She closed her eyes and pictured his eyes as he held her dancing. Just last night she had dreamed of him and now she was going to see him in person. She felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest.

* * *

Damon drove too fast past the bar and whipped by a small car in the process. He saw them pull over on the rear view mirror and smirked at how he scared them as he raced out of Georgia. He felt an odd pull at him and suddenly had an urge to turn around.

"To many bourbons" He said pulling over to a grip on himself.

"Damon" He could swear he heard her whisper his name.

"Where are you?" he said softly a tear rolling down his cheek.

His phone rang.

"Yeah" he said trying to compose his emotions

"She's here" Frank said the words that he had longed to hear for a year. Damon snapped the phone shut and raced back to the bar.

He flew through the door and gasped as he finally laid his eyes on the girl that had unintentionally ripped his heart out by just by being gone.

Her long brown hair was as straight and silky as ever but she had layered it a bit. She had little pieces that framed her face softly. She had on a simple pair of jeans and fitted t shirt. She looked so small and delicate and so angelic at the same was standing in the center of the bar with her eyes closed.

"Elena?" Damon said slowly walking towards her his voice cracked slightly.

Her soft brown eyes opened as she gazed into his his. "Damon." She said as if she just learned his name for the first time. Tears slid down her cheeks and he felt wetness on his own cheeks but didn't care at the moment that his walls were down.

He closed the space between them quickly and drew her into a hug.

"I never stopped looking for you" He whispered.

"I felt that" She said softly pulling her face away a bit to look into his eyes. "I have dreamed about you every single night for a long time and sometimes I could hear you say you were going to find me."

"I told you that every night" He said his eyes widening as he stroked her soft cheek.

She gazed into his eyes with happiness. "I knew it wasn't just a dream. That you.. do you love me?"

He flinched taken a back by her question. he felt the emotions overcome him as he stared into her soft brown eyes searching his face for an answer.

"Yes" He admitted for the first time out loud. "I love you" He felt as if someone had ripped a large bandage off of his heart and left it raw and exposed to every element. He waited nervously for the reaction that was bound to crush him.

"I love you too" She said reaching up and kissing him. Damon felt his walls come down as he kissed her back tenderly and gently as if afraid to burst this bubble. This was the last thing he expected. He pulled back gently and peered at her.

"You do?" he whispered softly. "You love me?"

"Yes" She said sounding certain "But.. I wish I could remember"

"Remember what Elena?"

"Our life together" She sighed.

Damon's eye brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean our life together?" He noticed she wasn't wearing her necklace.

"What happened to you Elena?" Damon said studying her for any injuries. "What did she do you you? Where were you?"

Elena shook her head "I don't know.. I don't remember anything except for this past year. When my friend Ashely over there found me at a bus terminal in Florida. I had no idea who I was and couldn't remember anything about my life. I still can't. I only just found out my name and yours"

Damon's eyes widened in horror "You don't remember anything?"

"Just you" She said softly looking at him lovingly "Just our dance we had together at that ball or something.."

"It was a pageant. The Miss Mystic Falls Pageant."

"Oh" Elena said smiling softly at him. "Did I win?"

"_No_" He frowned "Clearly some conspiracy because you were most definitely the belle of the ball"

"What do you remember about the dance?" he asked taking her hand in his his.

Her eyes grew dreamy as she let that treasured moment fill her mind.

"Coming down the stairs. I was really scared or nervous about something. I don't know what. But then I looked into your eyes, which by the way are so much more amazing in person, anyhow.. as soon as we locked eyes I felt an ease come over me."

Damon smiled in surprise he knew he had a bit of a calming effect on her. Why would Elena's only memory be of the dance they shared. He wondered. It was something he thought about pretty much every night but he doubted it ever crossed Elena's mind.

"The dance was like something you would see in a fairytale" she continued "They way you looked at me and never took your eyes away. I could feel the love between us. Ashely was afraid it was a dream but I convinced her it was a memory"

"It was a memory" he said cupping her face in hands wanting so badly to kiss her again. She had taken this one memory and assumed they were together. She knew nothing about the things he had done. She didn't know he was the bad brother and that she had tied herself to the good brother. She only knew what she felt based off of a memory with him.

But certainly Damon felt it too. The feelings he had _had_ surfaced when he danced with Elena and she had smiled softly at him when he gazed into her eyes. Something significant had happened between them in that moment, But they never had a chance to explore it because they had to deal with Stefan and then founders day... and then Elena disappeared...Maybe what Elena was feeling now was just her raw feelings for him. No knowledge just heart.

The idea of taking advantage of this situation was abundant in Damon's mind. But he knew he couldn't do it. When and if Elena ever retained her full memory she would hate him if she knew he took advantage of her in vulnerable state.

If only she knew how vulnerable she makes me, he thought to himself, as he braced himself to explain the some of the sorted truth to Elena.

* * *

Please review!


	4. The letter

**Chapter 4: The letter **

Elena gazed softly into the eyes of the man she had dreamed about for long. She glanced over at Ashely who was grinning widely.

"Ashely come over her and meet Damon!" Elena called. The blond quickly hurried over.

"Wow Janie you were right about gorgeous" Ashely said extending her hand to Damon. "I'm Ashley"

"Damon" He said raising her hand to his lips and kissing it. "A pleasure to meet you. I understand you helped Elena out?"

"Yeah, poor thing. I found her sitting at a bus terminal looking so sad and lost." Ashley said blushing a little.

"Thank you for helping her" He said gratefully.

"He is charming" She whispered to Elena who blushed herself feeling a little jealous.

"You call her Janie?" Damon asked.

"Little Jane Doe.. then it got shortened to Janie" Elena explained smiling at her friend.

"Elena suits you much better" Ashely smiled.

"I have to agree" Damon smiled ruffling Elena's hair gently.

"So you really are her boyfriend? I honestly thought you were just some fantasy she dreamed up." Ashley said.

"Well.. um that's thing ... Elena. I have never lied to you and I can't now" He sighed heavily.

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked looking confused.

"We're not together" he started.

"What? But you said you never stopped looking for me just like I thought and the dance..." Her face looked crestfallen.

"I didn't that's true. I never stopped looking for you and the dance was _real_ Elena" Damon tried to find the right words.

"What!" Ashely exclaimed "That's impossible you two are like romeo and freaking juliet. She loses her memory and dreams of you, you never stop looking for her, you find each other again after just missing each other in some special bar you shared. It was probably _you_ that flew past us on the road out there"

"That was you guys?" Damon groaned. "I'm sorry.."

"But how can we not be together?" Elena begged him "You said you loved me"

"I know" He said somberly avoiding Ashely's questioning gaze.

"I do love you" he whispered pain flashing through his eyes. "But you don't love me..."

"Yes I do" She augured "I do love you. I feel it even stronger now that I'm next to you"

"No Elena.. you don't remember me.. or my brother Stefan."

"What would your brother have to do with this?" Ashely had to go and ask.

"He's Elena's boyfriend not me" Damon said softly gazing at Elena. "I'm sure once your memory of him returns your going to forget all about what you think your feeling for me."

"I am your brothers girfriend? What... was I... having an _affair_ with you?" Elena asked.

"No.. your not like that" He said "We are friends. We have a special connection and understanding with each other. Somehow I guess that manged to stay with you after you lost your memory."

"But why would I remember you and not him?" Elena asked "Our connection would have to be stronger then you think."

"I don't know Elena" Damon sighed brushing a hair out of her face. "I'm wondering that too"

"If he loves me then why are you the one out looking for me?" Elena asked suddenly.

"Yeah" Ashley chimed in. "Some boyfriend he is"

Damon chucked "Anyone that rips on my brother is a friend of mine Miss Ashley."

He turned to Elena his eyes serious. " But he's not out looking because you supposedly left him a letter which in time he started to believe. He thinks you left and don't want to be found."

* * *

Mystic Falls VA:

Stefan sat in front of the fire reading the letter for the hundredth time. One full year she had been gone now she was never coming back. Neither was Katherine she had left him again. Jeremy would be leaving soon. Stefan doubted Damon would return and if he did Stefan would run him out of town., Things were finally peaceful here Stefan intended to keep them that way. He opened up the letter and tortured himself again.

_**Dearest Stefan,**_

_**As you probably already know I have left town. I came home to find my uncle John killed and after everything that happened tonight. I cannot stay here any longer. I need a normal life. Away from all the monsters of this town. I will always love you and the time we spent together. But this is not the life I want. I do hope you understand that.**_

_**Love always**_

_**Elena**_.

He folded the letter up and cried as the night she disappeared came rushing back to him.

_Flashback night of founders day_

_Stefan was driving to the hospital anxious to see Elena. He hoped her friend Caroline was alright. It had been a terrible night he was sure Elena needed him. He arrived at the hospital and looked around for her. He couldn't find her anywhere. He walked the corridors and asked around no one had seen her. _

_"Bonnie.. have you seen Elena?' Stefan asked stopping her in the hallway._

_"The last time I saw her she was with your brother" Bonnie spat out and hurried away. _

_"What?" Stefan said out loud as his phone rang._

_"Stefan?" It was Damon he sounded panicked._

_"What Damon?"_

_"Is Elena with you?"_

_"No.. she was supposed to meet me at the hospital. I talked to her a few minutes ago. She was just getting home."_

_"Damn it. Look Stefan Katherine is back and I think she killed John. Elena is not in here. But Jeremy is and he turned himself."_

_"What!" Stefan exclaimed quickly heading back out to his car._

_"I found John in the kitchen stabbed to death. I went upstairs to find Elena. Jenna was sleeping. Elena's room was empty. Then I found a vial of vampire blood and an empty bottle of pills in the bathroom"_

_"Jeremy?" Stefan groaned. "Why would he do this?"_

_"He wanted to shut off the pain" Damon explained "I'm taking him to the boarding house. You search Elena;s house one more time then come meet me. Call the teacher. I think Katherine has Elena and we have to find her fast" _

_"Okay" Stefan said hanging up and driving to Elena's house. _

_Stefan wasn't prepared for the scent of blood when he entered the house. Damon was already gone. Stefan held his breath and headed to Elena's room. Her bag with her founders day dress was on the floor. _

_"That's odd she told me she lost her stuff" Stefan said wondering if Katherine took it. Did she wait for Elena in here and what did she do with her? He noticed Elena;s window was open and then saw the letters on the dresser one to him and one to Jenna. Both explaining that she took off for different reasons on each letter of course. Stefan felt crushed. he left Elena;s house and drove back to the boarding house feeling numb,_

_Alaric and Damon were waiting for him with vervain darts and stakes._

_"Where's Jeremy?" Stefan asked._

_"In the cellar. I gave him enough blood to transform. We will have to take turns get his accustomed to blood slowly so he doesn't go crazy" Damon said quickly. _

_"I should go talk to him" Stefan said numbly not ready to explain that Elena had left him yet. _

_"We have to find that bitch before she hurts Elena" Damon said handing Stefan a stake._

_"Damon it may not have been Katherine we don't know that sure. But Elena left on her own" He sighed and shoved the letter at Damon._

_Damon read it and grimaced._

_"She left Jenna one too. She said she could never mend from her parents death if she stayed here and that she just needed to get away. Thanked her for everything. She left... no one took her" Stefan sighed._

_"No way" Damon said throwing the letter back at Stefan. "These were not there when I was looking for her. Katherine frickin came back and put them here."_

_"How are you so sure about Katherine?" Stefan asked again._

_"She pretended to be Elena.. on the porch. She kissed me. I left and started thinking about it. I realized Elena would have never kissed me back so it couldn't have been her. By the time I got there they were both gone" Damon explained. _

_"You kissed Elena?" Stefan said fury in his eyes as he punched his brother in the face. _

_"No Katherine" Damon said standing up "I thought it was Elena" _

_"That's probably not helping" Ric suggested. _

_"Come on I've got a psycho ex to kill" Damon muttered getting up and leaving. Stefan followed behind still not entirely sure it had been Katherine. What if Damon was wrong? What is it was Elena and that's what caused her to leave. Fear of history repeating itself. Stefan shuddered as he followed his brother out the door. Hoping that the lesser of two evils was true, That Elena had just run off and wasn't in actual danger from Katherine. Though that hurt a lot more. _

Stefan shuddered as he took Elena's note and returned it to his dresser oddly enough next to his picture of Katherine. Through all the solitude and pain over the past year through losing Elena and finding Katherine and then losing her again. Stefan felt like his two loves sometimes blurred together into one ball of pain and hurt and longing that tore at him. He knew what would help with the pain. Even just the smallest drop of human blood would help him turn off this pain. But he had to be strong.

"Stay strong" He told himself unsure on how much longer he was going to be able to withstand from turning it off.

* * *

**Atlanta GA **

But you didn't believe the letter?" Elena prodded him.

"No of course not you didn't leave _me_ one." Damon smirked. "You most definitely wouldn't have left without a goodbye to me"

Elena felt a familiar rush flow through her as she stared st his sexy smirk and flushed a little.

"So.. I was right our connection is stronger" Elena said smirking back at him.

"Elena maybe it is. I won't deny that I always thought I was the better choice for you. For selfish reasons mostly. But you adored my baby brother for some reason." Damon said.

"That must have been really hard on you" Elena said softly. "Watching me with him"

"Well it wasn't exactly a day at the beach..." Damon said looking bewildered. He wasn't minding this open side of Elena. Without her memories she seemed to be acting on instinct. Damon smiled realizing her instincts were pulling toward him.

"I would like to know everything" Elena said softly. "If I can't remember on my own you could at least fill me in. Maybe it will trigger my memory"

"That's a good idea" Ashely agreed. "Maybe we should go to her house that might help?"

"She doesn't live here in Georgia we just took a trip here once" Damon said.

"A trip together?" Ashely taunted "Just the two of you?"

"Like I said we had a special bond this is where it developed" Damon explained casting a long glance at Elena.

"We should get out of here though. Elena lives in Virgina. I say we head to a motel for the night and get you home tomorrow" Damon suggested.

"A hotel sounds nice. I am pretty beat." Elena yawned "But I don't want to leave Georgia right away"

"Why not?" Damon asked.

"I want to spend some time in the place we developed our bond.. with you" She said smiling softly at him that dreamy look in her eyes. He let himself get lost in them a little bit. Knowing it was only going to hurt all the more when he got her back to Stefan.

"Ahem" Ashely cleared her throat loudly. "Maybe I should take off and let you to reminisce..."

"I would like it if you came with me when I do go home. It will be hard facing my friends and not knowing them." Elena trailed off.

"Of course I'll come with you" Ashley exclaimed "If it's okay with Damon?"

"Of course" he said knowing Elena was probably going to need a friend. Caroline had left town after she recovered from her accident she decided to stay with her dad after a bad breakup with Matt. Bonnie well... Damon wasn't even sure how to tell Elena how cruel Bonnie was refusing to help find her when he was so desperate.

"Well let's get out of here before it gets dark" Damon said his eyes shifting a bit as he nodded at Frank and quickly ushered the girls out of the bar.

So how you going explain vampires to her? Damon asked himself grimly as he opened his car door for Elena.

* * *

_**AN: Thanks everyone for reviewing and reading! I hope you don't mind I did the founders day flashback from Stefan's POV. It was necessary for the story. I needed to explain why Stefan wouldn't be looking for Elena. I do plan on doing more flashbacks sporadically as the story goes on. I hoped you enjoyed! Please review! **_


	5. Carpe Diem

**Chapter 5: Carpe Diem**

Ashely and Elena shared a connecting room with Damon at a hotel nearby. Both of the girls were way to amped up to sleep.

"Elena" Ashely giggled "I love saying your name"

"I like hearing it. I finally feel like a real person and not just some Jane Doe" Elena agreed feeling so much lighter and at ease then she had when they felt Florida.

"I didn't mean for the name to make you feel like a nobody" Ashley frowned a bit.

"No.. no" Elena said "It was perfect a non permanent name until we found my real one"

"I like it" Ashely agreed grabbing a bottle of tequila from the liquor cabinet in their room.

"Ashley" Elena whined "Damon's going to have to pay for that."

"So" She shrugged "He's clearly got money.. I doubt he's gonna care if they bill him for one lousy bottle of liquor"

"Even still.. we should ask him" Elena pointed out.

"Better yet ask him to join us" Ashely suggested winking.

Elena blushed furiously. "I'm so glad he's real. I told you Ashely"

"You did" She agreed "Elena you were right about him and Georgia. I would say your instincts are spot on. Don't listen to naysayers like me ever again. Follow them"

"I'm right about my instincts with Damon too" Elena said softly "How could I be in love with his brother when I know I'm in love with him"

"Maybe you loved them both" Ashely said quietly.

"Damon said I'm not like that" Elena said flushing slightly.

"I didn't mean like that" Ashely rolled her eyes "Elena it happens all the time especially in young relationships when your just starting to find yourself. You think you love someone until someone else comes along.. and things change feelings start to develop. It can be complicated"

"You sound like you speak from experience" Elena smirked.

"Both sides of it actually. It's life" She shrugged. "Love was never meant to be easy"

Elena sat thoughtfully for a minute. "I would hate to think of myself as the girl that came between two brothers though"

"Yeah.. that's a tough one" Ashely grimaced. "But you know what Elena.."

"What?"

"Your instincts have got us this far. So for now I say you follow them and see where they lead you. Don't worry so much about hurting people you don't even remember right now. I haven't seen you smile... I mean like _really_ smile until today." Ashely said smiling.

"My instincts want to knock on the door and invite Damon over here" Elena whispered.

"Carpe diem" Ashely winked.

Elena blushed a bit and knocked softly on the door.

* * *

"Hello Elena" Damon answered right away. He looked like he was trying to hold down a smile.

"Hi Damon" She said shyly "Um.. Ashely and I are are still pretty wired we were thinking about hanging out and doing some shots.. would you want to hang out with us?"

"I don't know" he said looking unsure "I mean do I want to hang out with two beautiful girls in a hotel room with a bottle of tequila.." He smirked "Of course I will"

Elena laughed her nerves loosening a bit.

"And he's funny too" Ashely piped up. "So we also need you to buy the tequila. Elena and I are pretty much planning on eating ramon and chuck wagons for the rest of this trip on our budget"

"What?" Damon said looking grossed out "I don't even want to know what a chuck wagon is. I'll take care of you girls don't worry about money"

"Their not bad actually" Elena said "You should try one"

"No thanks" he scrunched his nose and grabbed the tequila bottle from Ashley to open it.

"Who's first?" He smirked holding up the bottle.

Elena grabbed it and took a swig her face scrunching up from the bitterness.

"Here" Ashely gave Elena a coke to wash it down.

"Woo" Elena said shivering a bit and laughing.

Damon laughed and winked at her. "I love it when your fun"

"What do you mean am I usually boring?"

"No never boring.. you just tend to let the worries of the world pile on your shoulders." He said taking a shot and passing the bottle back to Ashely.

"How old am I?" Elena asked.

"18 2 months ago" He said his eyes looked faraway for a moment.

"How long have you known Elena?"

"2 years" Damon murmured "Seems like much longer"

Elena's eyes widened and she gazed into his face. "Were we friends right away?"

"Yes" He said "But then I did some things that pissed you off you hated me for a while. But we became friends again"

"I couldn't imagine hating you" She said firmly. "I doubt I ever actually did"

"Oh you did. Elena I'm not the good guy. That role is reserved for my brother" Damon said his face hardening.

"You have spent the last year searching for me" Elena said "You wouldn't do that if you weren't a good guy"

"I care about you" he shrugged "and no one else"

"Have a good night ladies" He said quickly leaving the room.

* * *

Ashely stared at Elena wide eyed.

"I think I upset him.. I didn't mean to" Elena said softly.

"I think he's just on emotional overload and I kind get a feeling that's not normal for him. He wears a pretty thick shell. But I saw the pain in his eyes earlier when he told you about his brother." Ashley whispered.

"What could he have done to make me hate him? I couldn't possibly hate him. I know basically nothing about my life but I know how I feel. I don't know what happened or was happening before I ended up in Florida. But at some point I fell in love with him whether he knew it or not" Elena said taking another swig of tequila.

Ashely nodded "Plus.. holy hotness. I mean that guy is like a god. I wonder what he looks like without a shirt on"

"Keep wondering" Elena teased hitting her with a T shirt.

* * *

Damon raced out into the night needing to feed he tried to hit the switch and just run but his thoughts kept going back to Elena.. at the bar when she kissed him and told him she loved him. She had no idea how much he wanted that moment to be real. How many times he had day dreamed about that very scenario. Racier ending included of course.

But then to find out she had no idea what she was talking she didn't remember anything about him. Damon felt his heart break in those awful seconds. But here she was still convinced she was in love with him. The rippling of hope and realization that those words would be ripped from him and given back to Stefan once she regained her memories tore at him.

"She's back" Damon said to himself "Focus on that. That is what you wanted was for her to be safe."

He sighed heavily as he considered how he would explain what he was and what he had done to her. He had to give her the full truth soon. The sooner Elena knew who he was and realized she didn't love him the better. Hearing her say it and seeing it in her eyes was going to drive him crazy soon and she wasn't wearing vervain.

He would have to consider Ashely in all of this too. She would most likely be visiting the boarding house with Elena often and being around three vampires was bound to peek her curiosity. Plus she as an intuitive girl.

Damon found a young girl pulled over with a flat tire on the road. he sauntered over and offered to help her. She was grateful and turned to show him where she kept the spare. He bit her quickly and started drawing her blood feeling the power fill him. He actually felt alive now that Elena was back. he abruptly pulled away the terrified woman as thoughts of Elena hit him. He compelled her to sit in the car and wait and found himself changing the tire for her. He compelled her to forget him and go home.

He shook his head at his actions as he walked back to the hotel. He didn't kill very often when feeding. Feeding and compelling was his favorite style but to actually help the woman? What is she doing to me?Damon thought as Ashely's words flowed into his head...

_Elena it happens all the time especially in young relationships when your just starting to find yourself. You think you love someone until someone else comes along.. and things change feelings start to develop. It can be complicated_

Maybe she was right.. maybe Elena had developed strong feelings for him. He kept his feeling from her. Well not completely but he didn't let her know how deeply he had fallen for her. Elena was loyal to a fault perhaps she buried her own feelings inside?

"Elena trusts her instincts. Maybe I should to" Damon said as he walked into the hotel to see if the girls were still awake.

"Carpe Diem" Damon said as he reached their door and knocked softly.

* * *

Please review!


	6. Sweet Temptations

**Sweet Temptations**

"Damon" Elena answered the door surprise on her face.

"I didn't wake you did I?' he asked.

"No not at all" She replied sighing "Even with the tequila shots I still can't sleep"

"Unlike your friend" he smirked pointing to a passed out Ashely the bottle of tequila tucked under her arm as she slept.

Elena giggled softly "Maybe we should go to your room so we don't wake her"

"I have a better idea" he said.

"Which is?" Elena asked.

"Close your eyes and trust me" He said.

"Okay" She smiled closing her eyes.

He picked her gently and carried her to the roof of the hotel.

"Damon where are we?" She asked keeping her eyes tightly closed "What are we doing?"

"Seizing the day" he replied gently putting her down and helping her get steady on her feet "Open your eyes"

She did and gasped "Oh my gosh! How did we get up here?"

"Details.. princess" Damon rolled his eyes "Look up"

She did and could see every star in the sky staring back down at them. It was a beautiful sight.

"I'm sorry about running off earlier" he said quietly taking her hand in his.

"Its okay.. I'm sorry I upset you" She said sincerely.

"_You_" He said firmly "Don't ever apologize to me for my bad behavior."

"I ..okay" She said looking a bit flustered.

"I just.. I have a hard time dealing with my feelings for you" he said honestly "Its all still so new to me to feel do deeply. A part of me will always feel like I don't deserve your love. It hurts so much" His face was raw and open his eyes pained.

"Damon" She said softly "You have spent an entire year searching for me. How could you think you don't deserve my love?"

"Elena.. I'm a vampire" He said looking away quickly he couldn't handle the fear on her face.

"What?" Elena said confused.

"I'm a vampire" he said again more clearly "I was turned in 1864 both me and my brother Stefan"

"As in Dracula?" Elena said looking confused "That's crazy Damon. You can't be a vampire. Their not real"

"They are and I am" he replied matter of factly. "How do you think we got up here?"

She just shook her head trying to understand why he was saying this. Was his crazy?

"Watch Elena" he said and then seemed to disappear all she saw was a blur. "Damon?"

"Behind you" he whispered in her ear.

She jumped and screamed "You scared the crap out of me!"

"I do that a lot" He smirked.

"But you were out in the sun today aren't vampires allergic to the sun or something?"

"They burn into flames but I have a protection ring" He said holding up his hand to show her.

"But you look so normal.. well actually you are kind of inhumanly beautiful" She murmured.

"Why thank you" He smiled "And you are exquisitely beautiful Ms Gilbert"

She blushed in spite of herself. "But you.. you kill people?"

"I have and I did for a long time" he nodded "I stopped over a year ago now. I actually started drinking from blood banks but while I was looking for you I didn't have that option so I had to feed from people again. But I don't kill them Elena. A vampire can compel a human to do what they want. Having your blood drawn willing doesn't hurt. It can even be pleasurable."

She stared for a few long moments letting this all set in. "You used to kill people though?"

"Yes" He said honestly "It is instinct it is what I am Elena. I am a hunter and humans are supposed to be my prey"

"So what changed then?" She asked "Why did you stop?"

"I fell in love with you" He answered quickly.

She started into his blue eyes her breath caught in her throat. "I mean that much to you?"

"You mean everything to me" He answered. "But if your scared I understand.."

"I'm not scared of you" She replied. "I may not have my memories but I have my instincts and my feelings.. .well at least my feeling for you. I know in my heart I can trust you"

"You can" he said "I would never do anything to hurt you"

"You _and_ your brother are vampires? Does he kill people?" Elena asked.

"He did at one time too. He was worse then me at first actually. But then he refrained completely and decided to live off of animal blood."

"Oh.." She said slightly impressed "Like Brad Pitt in that movie Ash and I rented"

"Yuck" He replied "It's nasty and it doesn't teach him to control his urge for blood. Which caused some major problems later."

"What do you mean?"

He groaned "That would be skipping way ahead.. I don't want to overwhelm you Elena. But I promise I will help you get your memory back. Not matter how much it's going to hurt in the end"

"Damon" Elena said softly "I don't even remember him. Even his name has no connection for me. But _you_.. you are the only thing I thought about. Your image alone gave me such a connection. Whenever I remember dancing with you I can actually feel what I was feeling then. It was love"

"I'm starting to think that might be true" he said stroking her cheek. "maybe you really did love me. But.. I don't think you would have ever acted on it and I don't think you loved me more then him."

"But.." She started

"But.. right now you are here with me. I have spent night after night driving, searching, town after town crappy motel after crappy motel and now here you are right in front of me telling me you love me" He shook his head in amazement. "I would be an idiot if I didn't enjoy it for a little while"

She reached up and put her arms around his neck gazing into his eyes.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you" He said meeting her gaze with a serious expression "You would be _way _to pissed later. But I do want you to understand how much you mean to me. I want us to have some real time together and_ I _want to tell you our back story first. Stefan will twist things and try to make me look worse.

"I want to hear it from you too." She said "I promise I won't get mad if you kiss me..I mean I kissed you first anyway so.."

He smiled genuinely and Elena could swear she saw his whole face light up with that smile even his eyes were glittering. She felt her heart race as his face got closer and that loving gaze he had worn at the dance came over his face. She parted her lips slightly and almost gasped when his lips brushed her sending heatwaves through her body.

The dream was one thing but now that she had been spending time with Damon she was starting to feel such a strong need for him. She wondered how she had held him off for so long and why. He kissed her lightly at first and then deeper, She could feel her body pull into his closer as the kiss intensified. His ran his hands through her hair and moaned as he pulled back from her.

"Don't stop" She whispered in a daze.

"I have to" He said huskily "Or I wont be able to"

Her eyes glittered dangerously for a moment and he had to look away or he was going to do something she might regret later.

"We better get back down to our rooms. The suns coming up soon." He said pulling her into his arms.

"I'm going to keep my eyes open this time" She said excitably.

He laughed as he scaled the wall back down to their room. Purposely being extra dramatic to make her squeal. He really loved having fun with Elena. It seemed like something in him made her let her guard down and just be at ease. Just as much as something in her made him want to feel and be a good person.

* * *

"Well good night" He said lightly kissing her outside of her room.

"Good night Damon" She said quietly sneaking inside.

Damon smiled at her door for a moment. Lightly fingering the handle. He shook his head as he walked into his room. He tried to admonish himself for acting like a love struck teenage boy. But at the moment he really didn't care. He had Elena in his arms tonight and on his lips. Even if he loses at least he has those memories.

He grabbed his phone and grimaced but figured he better call Jeremy. He didn't want Jeremy to leave town before Elena got home.

"Damon?" Jeremy answered right away.

"I found her" I said "Well actually she found me"

"In Georgia?" he guessed "She came there?"

"Yeah" Damon said "Right after I left"

"So what happened is she okay?" Jeremy said.

"I don't know.. and no. Well I mean she is okay physically but she.. doesn't remember anything about her life or who she is" Damon explained.

"You mean her memory was erased" Jeremy said sounding "Like what you did to me?"

"Her whole memory though Jeremy. Its gone" Damon said shaking his head.

"Katherine"

"Of course it had to be she would be the only one strong enough" Damon agreed.

"Wait I thought all vampires could compel?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes.. but compulsion is not fool proof. Telling someone to forget one event from their lives is one thing. But erasing their entire memory? A less experienced vampire may be able to do it but it wouldn't hold forever" Damon explained.

"But she found you" Jeremy asked "How?"

"She remembered me" he said "Well just one memory of me. She decided to look for me or someone who knew her. She was drawn to Georgia and our bar on complete instinct"

"Your bar?" Jeremy scoffed "what memory does she have of you?"

Damon heard a soft knock at his door. "I gotta go. I'll bring her home in a few days so stay there okay" he clicked off his phone and went to answer the door a soft smile settling in on his lips.

"Hi" Elena blushed slightly. She had on a white tank top and a pair of flannel shorts. Damon couldn't help but lust at the sight of her in her pajamas.

"Come in" he said ushering her inside.

"I couldn't sleep and I saw your light on from under the door" She said.

"Well I couldn't sleep either. I had to call your brother and tell him I found you" He said.

"I have a brother?" She said happily.

"Yeah.. well cousin but he's like a brother to you. He's excited to see you" Damon replied. She nodded and sat down on his bed.

"I'm going to feel so bad when I don't remember anyone" She said quietly.

"Hey" he said sitting down next to her. "You don't have anything to feel bad about. None of this is _your_ fault"

She put her head on his shoulder and he put his arm around her and hugged her tightly to him. He was amazed at the feeling of how right this was her next to him. He had felt like a huge part of himself was missing without her.

"Could I stay with you tonight" She whispered "I just want to be close to you. I think that's why I cant sleep"

"Yes Elena" he said positioning her body so she was lying comfortably in his bed. He curled in beside her and out his arms around her. "And just for the record you don't ever ask"

She smiled as she buried her head in his chest and fell asleep quickly.

* * *

Please review!


	7. Surprise Visit

_**Disclaimer: I forgot to put this in the beginning. This Fic is just for fun. I don't own the Vampire Diaries or any of the characters. **_

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* * *

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**Surprise Visit**

Jeremy left the boarding house as quietly as he could the next morning not wanting to alert Stefan. He knew Damon was going to pissed but Jeremy had to see Elena. He had been so worried about her. He has seen for himself how maniacal and crazy Katherine was when he stuck downstairs with her. He had to make sure his sister was okay. He shuddered as he remembered the night he met his sisters evil twin.

* * *

**Flashback a few weeks after founders day:**

Jeremy groaned and looked at the clock in the makeshift bedroom Stefan had set up for him in the basement. They kept the door barricaded at night so he could not leave. He was fed a pint of blood every four to six hours. Damon said this was the only way he would learn to control the blood lust. Jeremy hated himself for what he had done.

Had he not turned himself it would be safe for him to be out looking for Elena while Damon hunted Katherine. The blood lust although a constant on his mind now was the least of his concerns. He regretted changing himself to forget his pain. It didn't even work he still hurting and now he had to spend eternity alone. He could hear Stefan upstairs sighing in pain. Jeremy figured he was probably reading Elena's letter again.

"Why is he so sure that she kissed Damon and then left him?" Jeremy whispered out loud shaking his head. He had been here a few weeks now. Aside from worrying about his sister and constantly looking at the clock for the next time he would be fed he found himself observing his sisters boyfriend. He never really liked about him just rubbed Jeremy the wrong way. But now with Elena missing. Stefan was insufferable and moody. He refused for some reason really to believe Damon about Katherine though still seemed to support Damon's decision to look for her. It was a strange reaction just giving up. Jeremy had been in love twice in his young life and he never gave up. He thought his sister deserved better then that.

Jeremy noticed Damon's relentless pursuit of Katherine the women who looked just like Elena.

Damon told Jeremy what happened that night and was sure she took her sometime after pretending to be Elena and killing Uncle Jeremy. Damon refused to give up on Elena. He had even been to Bonnie's a few times to try to beg her to help to no avail. Jeremy was surprised to hear that. He thought Bonnie cared about Elena. The sound of the door being kicked open broke Jeremy out of his thoughts.

"Elena?" He heard Stefan choke out.

"Yeah Stefan" Damon drawled sounding annoyed "I _staked_ Elena"

"Katherine?" Stefan whispered.

"He's quick." Damon said.

Jeremy could hear a heart beat and figured Alaric was here too. He heard Katherine's body come hurling down the stairs and jumped to look. Damon looked pissed he was glaring down at her limp body. She had a stake sticking out of her stomach and two vervain darts in her back. Both Alaric and Damon looked pretty roughed up.

"What are you doing to her?" Stefan cried out running down the stairs.

"Getting the truth out of her," Damon grunted pushing her into a prison-like cellar in the basement. Jeremy looked on in awe at how much she looked like Elena.

"Ric get the ropes," Damon instructed "I don't know how long the vervain will keep her down."

"Damon.. you cannot torture her here," Stefan said quietly staring at Katherine with a strange expression on his face.

"I will _do_ whatever _it_ takes to get Elena back." he grunted.

"You would not be the one getting her back, " Stefan reminded him "She's my girlfriend not yours"

"She's our girlfriend." Damon said sarcastically.

"History repeating?" Katherine said coming to with a wicked smile on her face.

Damon held her down in a flash.

Ric hurried down the stairs when he saw she was awake. Katherine was struggling out of Damon's grip despite the vervain. Jeremy acted quickly and grabbed Katherine shoulder wedging it against the wall.

Damon nodded at him a small smirk at on his face. Jeremy decided to take it as a sign of appreciation and put more force into holding Katherine down as Ric tied her up with the vervain soaked ropes. Jeremy couldn't help but glare at his sisters boyfriend who was just standing there staring and doing nothing to help.

"Damon" Katherine said in an icy tone "I don't have time for this right now. I was just on my way out of town."

"What were you doing in town?" Ric asked.

"None of your business _human_" She spat out.

"Well if it involves Elena it is my business Katherine." Damon said his eyes oozing hatred at her.

"Do you see her around anywhere?" Katherine giggled "Rumor has it she ran off."

"What have you done to her?" Damon said sticking the stake into her stomach farther.

Katherine groaned in pain. "I don't know where she is"

"Bull." Damon said driving the stake even further.

"So this is how you treat ladies now Damon?" Katherine grunted. "Elena can _have_ you."

"You are not a lady." he smirked twisting the stake causing her to scream in pain.

"Damon stop." Stefan said suddenly pushing Damon aside. Jeremy's eye widened he looked over to Damon who was glaring at Stefan with daggers in his eyes.

"Katherine." Stefan said softly kneeling beside her. "Elena is not Damon's girlfriend. She is mine. So please don't take your issues with Damon out on her. Tell us where she is."

"I don't know Stefan." She said sweetly her eyes wide and innocent looking. Jeremy could see right trough the blatant manipulation but Stefan seemed to be eating it up.

"Katherine please. She's related to you somehow." Stefan said in that same soft tone. Jeremy heard Damon scoff from across the room.

"We are wasting time here." Damon said. "She cannot be appealed to. She's to cold for that."

"But Elena's warm..." Katherine said her voice trailing and her eyes gleaming.

Damon was at her throat in seconds. His face had vamped out and he looked like he was going to rip her head off.

"Oops" Katherine smirked. "Looks like Damon's pretty messed up over _your_ girlfriend, hm Stefan?"

"He even showed her his_ humanity_." Katherine said her eyes twinkling brighter "Right before he kissed her. It was so touching Stefan. Damon baring his soul to a pathetic little copy of me."

Damon was right next to her shaking in anger growling at her with hatred. Stefan stood and gaped at his brother and Katherine looking confused.

"To bad it wasn't her." Katherine laughed manically.

Stefan pushed Damon backwards just as he was about to lunge for Katherine's throat.

"Why are you helping her?" Damon spat out. "Don't you see now? I was telling the truth she killed John. She took her."

"Then we can't kill her." Stefan said. "We have to get her to tell us where Elena is."

**End of flashback**

* * *

Jeremy felt the wind in his hair as he cruised towards Georgia. He was really glad Damon was with Elena right now. Jeremy wanted to see Elena before she saw Stefan. He felt it was important for her to know how he acted around Katherine. Jeremy had overheard much of it. Stefan fell right back into her manipulations almost immediately after she arrived. Jeremy was fairly certain Stefan had helped her escape.

He wondered how hard this was on Elena. Not being able to remember anything about her life? Of all the awful things he could imagine this had to be the worst.

He pulled up to the bar Damon had mentioned and drained a blood bag as he waited for it to open. He only noticed one motel in town and figured they were staying there. He tried to decide if he should call Damon or just surprise them. Damon would be pissed at him either way so he figured he would just show up. He wouldn't kill him in front of Elena.

He parked next to Damon's car in the hotel and walked in. The clerk was an older woman with a bored look on her face. Jeremy walked up cautiously suppressing his thoughts from wantin to feed on her. He could smell her blood and hear her pulse. He took a breath and calmed himself by looking at the hotel clock. He compelled the woman to tell her where Elena's room was and left quickly. Proud at how well he handled being around human beside Alaric.

He could smell tequila and blood as he knocked softly at Elena's door. The scent of her blood was more alluring then the woman's downstairs had been and he had to hold his breath. The small blond that answered the door was not Elena though. Jeremy looked at her bewildered expression and let his breath out. Glad he didn't just lust after his sister's blood.

He noticed the girl then. She was a small petite girl. Her features were delicate. She had fair skin and these rosy lips that pursed slightly down into a sexy frown. Her blue eyes were almost too big for her face but were somehow alluring all the more. She looked like one of those porcelain dolls his mother used to collect. Jeremy forgot about how her blood smelled and just studied her. It had been a long time since he had checked out a girl.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"Um.. yeah, sorry" Jeremy mumbled. "I was looking for my sister Elena."

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Why didn't you just say so? I am Ashley. I kind of took Elena in and took care of her after she lost her memory."

"Jeremy" he said extending a hand. "Nice to meet you"

She took his hand with an amused expression on her face. He noticed how tiny her hand was inside his. She looked like a delicate girl. Bur her eyes had a wildness to them Jeremy recognized. A red flag went off in his head then as he remembered what happens to the girls who take chances. He backed away slightly and scanned the room for Elena.

"Elena?" Ashley turned around. Jeremy tried not to stare at her in the short sleep shorts she had on. "That's weird she was here last night."

"Where's Damon?" Jeremy asked.

"Next door." Ashley pointed to the adjoining room and then her eyes widened and she smiled. "Oh!"

"He better not have taken advantage of her." Jeremy grunted.

"He wouldn't do that." Ashley said crossing her arms.

"You don't know him." Jeremy fired back.

The door opened suddenly and a furious looking Damon emerged.

"Jeremy." Damon said tersely. "I said stay there, not come here."

"I know." Jeremy said. "I had to come."

Elena appeared behind Damon looking on in interest.

"Hi Elena." Jeremy said. "I'm Jeremy your brother."

"Hi." She said shyly. "I'm sorry.. I don't.."

"It's okay." Jeremy shrugged. "You will someday."

She started toward him to hug him but Damon grabbed her gently by the waist and pulled her back. Holding her body against his.

"It's okay." Jeremy said. "I can handle it."

"Handle what exactly?" Ashley asked looking curious.

"Is he a vampire too?" Elena asked Damon who grimaced.

"You told her?" Jeremy exclaimed.

"Huh?" Ashley said shaking her head. "Someone want to fill in the blond here?"

Jeremy actually chucked a bit and Damon shot him a warning look.

"Yes Elena and he should not be here. He is a very young vampire." Damon said crossing his arms.

"Again someone? Anyone?" Ashley said "Vampires? Are we _joking_? What is going on?"

"Damon and I are vampires" Jeremy said to her.

Damon groaned loudly. "Jeremy we don't just run around telling everybody. I thought I taught you that one right away."

"It's okay" Elena said crossing the room to stand next to Ashley. "She won't say anything."

"Is this for real?" Ashley asked looking scared. "Are they going to drink our blood?"

"I'm not." Damon said. "But Jeremy is young he can't control his urges as easily as I can."

Ashley grabbed her bottle of teliqua from the night before and took a sip her face puckering up.

"I think you need to explain this a little." She said twisting her hands.

Damon sighed looking annoyed. He directed his glare at Jeremy."Well get comfortable. She's probably going to ask 100 questions."

Jeremy smiled glancing at the blond she did look like a talker, He thought, trying to ignore the attraction and the alluring scent of her blood.

* * *

_**AN: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was time for a little flashback. Please review!**_


	8. Speechless

**Chapter 8: Speechless **

Elena sighed as she was finally able to get in the shower and start getting ready. It took nearly two hours for Damon to explain vampires to Ashley. Elena didn't mind though because she learned quite a bit too. Damon was a strong and controlled vampire. He was extremely patient will all Ashley's questions. But he did roll his eyes when she asked him if he sparkled in the sun.

Ashley seemed to be more enthralled by the idea then scared of it. Elena actually felt the same way. She knew she must have been fine with this before this was afterall her life. She figured she should be scared but Damon made her feel so safe.

She felt a twinge of emotion when she saw Jeremy. She couldn't remember him but he still felt familiar. Elena was counting on her feelings to help her get through all this. She showered and changed quickly. Choosing a simple pair of jeans and a tank top.

Ashley was sitting on the bed staring off into space.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked. "This is all pretty crazy."

"Yeah. I think so." She murmured. "I sort of feel like we walked into a movie or something. Like a huge part of my brain is going no way this is not happening."

"I know," Elena sighed, "I think we do need to remember I am involved with vampires. My life could actually be dangerous for you to be around."

"I'm not going home Elena," Ashley said defiantly.

"Where did they go?" Elena asked.

"To feed," Ashley said grimacing a bit. "Jeremy said he had blood bags in the car."

"I don't know if I want to think about them feeding." Elena admitted feeling a little freaked out. The reality of what Damon and Jeremy were had set in. But Elena could feel they weren't going to hurt her or her friend. They weren't some evil soulless creatures. They had the ability to choose_ not _to hurt people.

"I know,"Ashley nodded. "But it's kind of alluring in a way. Getting to stay young and beautiful forever."

"It is." Elena found herself admitting.

"You know in every vampire story when the vampire falls in love with girl. She becomes his soulmate for eternity." Ashley murmured dreamily.

"Do you believe in soulmates?" Elena asked softly.

"I used to." Ashley said "But I have been burned so many times now.." Her voice trailed off.

"I read a book about soulmates at the library the other day. It was interesting. If not a little strange. It talked about how soulmates are drawn to one another but often star crossed. It actually said they are usually born in different decades so they never even meet." Elena explained.

"That would explain the whole vampire soulmate theory." Ashley said looking slightly awed. "Who knew you had such an exiting life. I feel like I stepped into the twilight zone but in a good way."

Elena stood up and started crossing the room to look out the window. Thoughts of Damon filled her mind. She felt a sudden tremble across her temple and suddenly had to sit down. She closed her eyes as an image hit her brain.

_She walked up to a large wooden door. She felt nervous as she knocked softly. _

_"Stefan?" she said. She walked in and looked around wide eyed. The place was huge. She wondered how he could afford a place like this. _

_More secrets, a voice inside her said and she felt a small surge of anger. _

_She saw a crow come flying through the window and jumped in fear. She turned around to see a beautiful man standing right behind her. _

_"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he said his eyes twinkling. _

_"I'm Damon. Stefan's brother" He said taking her hand. _

_Damon, She thought memorized by his blue eyes. She felt strangely drawn to him. _

_"Stefan didn't tell me he had a brother," She said feeling a bit dazed. _

_Her memory faded out a bit and grew fuzzy. He was talking about someone or something. But she couldn't make out the words just his face as he talked to her. So beautiful and mysterious. She was so intrigued by him. His eyes tore away from hers for a moment and she felt the connection seemed to snap apart. She felt a surge of annoyance at being interrupted. _

_"Ah Stefan" Damon said looking amused. _

_Elena turned to look at him. She saw his face he looked angry and very still. She felt a little bit of fear come over her. Something about the way he had looked from her to his brother. She felt some kind of warning go off in her head. Then everything went black again._

Elena's eyes snapped open. She gasped in surprised at the memory she just had.

"Elena are you okay?" Ashley was hovered over her worry etched into her face.

"Elena!" Damon exclaimed rushing into the room to Elena. "What happened?"

Ashley smiled slightly " I wish I had a Casanova to some rescue me." She said and moved away a bit. She studied Elena who looked sort of amazed.

"I had another memory." She whispered.

"You did?" Ashley exclaimed jumping up and down a bit.

"It was the first time I met you." Elena said smiling at Damon.

Damon felt a surge of pride run through his chest realizing her first and second memories were of him.

"So tell me about it." He prodded.

"I was at your house which is huge by the way." She said her eyes getting wide. Ashley was hanging on her every word. Damon didn't mind this new friend of Elena's. She was much better then whiny Caroline and witchy Bonnie. Plus she appeared to be on team Damon and he figured that was what he needed all along. Elena's friends only reinforced her bad images of him. Rightfully so. But nonetheless. He noticed Jeremy casting more then one hidden glance at her though and worried about that. Jeremy was not ready to around a human full time. He would have to keep a close eye on this.

Elena was gazing off into space probably picturing the house again.

"Go on," He said gently taking her hand and stroking it softly. He ignored Jeremy's surprised look.

"I was kind of nervous and annoyed I think at _Stefan_. Then I saw a bird fly into the house and you were right behind me. Was that a vampire trick?" She asked her eyes glittered a bit.

"Guilty." He shrugged smirking a bit. "I always enjoyed scaring you. I told you that."

"But the first time you _met_ me?" She laughed and smacked his arm lightly.

He felt a familiar feeling come over him bantering with her again. He really missed that, he thought as he gazed at her.

"I was memorized by you." She said softly. "It's weird. I don't remember what we talked about. Just felt this strange draw and connection to you. Then it was interrupted by Stefan and I was annoyed." She explained taking a deep breath as she finished.

Jeremy laughed out loud.

"How is this funny?" Ashley demanded.

"Just that your first memory of Stefan is annoyance. I think that's really funny. I'm sorry for being insensitive." He said trying to stifle his laughs.

"I apologize too. Because it's fricken not only hilarious but fantastic." Damon said beaming.

Elena frowned, "I didn't feel anything for him in the memory. No draw or pull like I had to you. Just annoyance at first and then fear. I was scared of him. Not like there in that moment. But it was like an alarm went off in my head about him. I guess I must have ignored that huh?"

Damon's eyes widened in surprise. For the first time in 146 years he rendered himself speechless.

* * *

They all had decided to head to the bar to get some lunch. Damon had brought Elena over to the jukebox to pick out music.

Ashley sat at the table across from Jeremy. She stared at him with a curious expression on her face.

"So this is pretty crazy huh?" She said slowly trying to break the ice. She found herself admiring his looks. He was really cute though young. She could see the pain in his eyes and felt a need to help him much like she had for Elena when she met her.

"Yep." he said looking over at Damon and Elena.

"I never really liked Stefan." Jeremy admitted.

"Damon really loves her. I have never seen anyone look at someone the way he looks at her. It is literally like something out of a romance novel."

"This _is _my sister we are talking about here" he said making a gagging face.

She laughed slightly. "You like Damon though?"

"Yeah" Jeremy said "He took care of me when I turned. Even though Elena was gone and he didn't have to. He searched endlessly for her. I know with him she's safe. But if she ends up with him she will eventually want to change. I don't know how I feel about that."

"All that would matter is what she feels about it." Ashley argued.

"No one really gets how they actually feel about what they decided to become until after it happens. I wish I wouldn't have made the choice I did. I don't want my sister to have regrets like I do." He muttered.

"Why did you become a vampire?" She asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." He grunted avoiding her gaze.

"Why not?" She persisted. "Come one. I won't bite"

"Ha ha" he rolled his eyes. "Don't test the patience of vampires. It's not smart."

"I'm not scared of you." She said crossing her arms.

"You should be." he said harshly.

"Well I'm not." She replied with a so their face.

"I could compel you to let me do anything to you. I could even just forget that and kill you in seconds. A young angry vampire. Really honey? Maybe you should re-think your wild and smart mouthed ways. It gets girls like you killed." He shot her a dark look and left the bar going out to the car.

She stared after him with a determined expression on her face.

* * *

Damon overheard the conversation but saw Jeremy did the right thing in going to the car to cool off. He did the right thing by trying to scare her off too, He thought to himself. Feeling a jolt of strange pride in the young vampire he had mentored.

"You haven't said much about my memory" Elena said softy leaning against the jukebox.

"I know." he said quietly stroking her cheek.

"I was drawn to you right away Damon." She said staring into his eyes. "I must have ignored the pull. But I felt it. I know I did."

"I'm just so surprised." He said smiling a bit.

"I don't think he's even remotely as hot as you are either." She murmured softly.

His smile grew wider. "Really?"

"You really only felt an annoyance towards him?" He said shaking his head.

"Do you know why I was annoyed at him?" She asked.

"Beats me. It's my brooding brother we are talking about here could have been any number of things." He drawled dramatically.

She shot him a confused look, "Brooding?"

"I'll get into that _believe_ me" He smirked then frowned again.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I have to fill in the blanks now." He said sighing. "Tell you what we were talking about. Tell you about how I was trying to cause trouble for you and Stefan right away."

"What were you talking about that would cause trouble for me and Stefan" She asked hesitantly not liking the uncertain look on his face.

"My ex girlfriend." He sighed.

"What would that have to do with Stefan?" She asked staring into his eyes intently.

"She was his ex girlfriend too." He said.

"What!" She exclaimed.

"This is going to be another one of those long stories" he said looking nervous.

* * *

_**AN: To all the reviewers from the second best story thank you sooo much for checking out this one too! :) I get so excited to see what you think of this story. Huge thanks to everyone who has been reading, adding the story to their faves and alerts and reviewing! I hope you like this next chapter. Please review!**_


	9. Delena from Damon's point of view

**Chapter 9: Delena- from Damon's point of view **

"What the hell Damon" Elena spat out "Is this something that you and Stefan do? Date the same girl?"

"Look Elena please" Damon said his eyes looking pained. "Let me explain"

"Okay" She sighed.

"It was in 1864" He said "That Stefan and I met her. Her name was Katherine.

She was posing as on orphan and staying at our boarding house."

"She was a mystery" He said "Beautiful and cunning. Stefan and I both fell into her charms. A year ago I would have said me worst of all. But now. Well never mind I'll get to that later."

"She was a vampire and the one that turned us. Both of us. She was giving us both blood. She lied to me and told me it was only me. I didn't want to be a vampire. But I wanted her so I accepted it. tefan had to be compelled to take her blood." He shook his head and turned back to Elena his expression somber.

"She had a group of rouge vampires in town with her. I think they were planning some kind of take-over but you can never really be sure what Katherine's plans are. Stefan derailed them nonetheless. He told my father about her and the vampires in town. Trying to play some type of peacemaker. He thought if my Father could see that vampires can be good like humans he would accept her."

"Did he?" Elena whispered.

"No" Damon said "He put vervain in Stefan's food. The next time Katherine drank from him she passed out. They took her and all the vampires and made it look like they burned them all in the church."

"But they didn't really burn them?" Elena asked.

"No" Damon replied "They buried them in a sealed up tomb. A fate worse then death for a vampire being locked up with no chance to feed. You mummify and feel nothing but extreme pain during the process. The pain never ends and won't end until you feed. But you can't. You don't have enough strength to just kill yourself so your stuck like that."

Elena shuddered "Is she still stuck down there?"

Damon chuckled "No. Elena she never was. I wasn't aware of that though. When Stefan and I woke up in transition we thought she was burned to death. I wasn't happy that I turned. I didn't want to. Stefan sort of forced my hand and I hated him for many years because of that. When I found out she was actually buried in the tomb I tried to get her out. But I couldn't it was sealed by a powerful witch. It took me nearly 145 years to figure out how to get her out. That's when I came to Mystic Falls. I had a plan to save her."

"That's why you came to my town?" She asked looking strange "For _her_?"

"Initially," He said looking at her carefully and stroking her hair. "You look exactly like her."

"What?" Elena said confused.

"You two could be twins. It was uncanny the resemblance. I was curious about you right away. At first I thought you were her. But after a few weeks of watching you I could see you weren't." He said slowly.

"You watched me for a few weeks?" Elena said in a hushed voice.

"Yeah I don't or I guess I didn't know why. I was just drawn to you. I told myself it was because you looked like her and maybe it was at first. But it was something bigger then that inside me. Anyway Stefan showed up and approached you right before I was going to. I saw you look interested in him and got a little pissed. I kept having to remind myself I was there for Katherine. But the second I found out he was dating you I was desperate to try to get in between it. I didn't even understand my own motivations at that time."

"So the day you met me you told me about Katherine trying to get me to doubt Stefan?" She guessed.

"Yeah but I didn't tell you everything. I just laid helpful little hints. You and Stefan augured about trust a lot. You didn't like him keeping things from you. I played on that with the ex hints." He continued realizing they were starting to move past Katherine and on to them to how they started out with one another.

"What else did you do?" Elena asked cooly her expression curious.

"Around you I was charming and very sweet. I wanted you to trust me. I hinted around with Stefan about hurting you or turning you. I loved getting under his skin and you were the perfect way to do so." He smirked.

"He gave you a vervain necklace to keep me from compelling you. He was very paranoid about me. But I really didn't want to hurt you. I was just so curious about you. I started dating one of your friends to stay close to you get invited into your house. I fed from her and compelled her and basically used her. You saw the bite marks on her and freaked out on me. That was pretty much the end of the semi-friendship we had started to establish." He sighed and braced himself for a slap or who knows what.

"But didn't I know you were a vampire?" She asked instead.

"No. Stefan hadn't told you yet and it really wasn't my place though I thought he should." Damon murmured.

"So I was pissed at you about my friend," Elena prodded willing him to continue.

"You slapped me." he said shaking his head "You did it once before when I tried to compel you. But you were so angry and it did something to me. It made me feel guilty for the first time in my life. I hated it and lashed out going after Caroline. your friend."

She gasped , "Did you kill her?"

"No." He said. "Stefan drugged her drink with vervain. The herb that protects humans from vampires. He locked me up in the cellar."

"Like the vampires in the tomb!" She exclaimed "How could he put you through that pain?"

"He was protecting _you _and _your_ town from me. Elena I had killed people there." He admitted.

"Did he ever tell me the truth?" She asked.

"Yes." Damon said "After you pretty much figured it out on your own."

"No needless to say I eventually got out. I was rabid after being locked up I killed my uncle and left the house. I drained some teenagers and ended up changing a girl." He winced. "Turns out she was your brother Jeremy's girlfriend. I had no idea. She went crazy she was going to hurt you and Stefan had to kill her."

Elena took a sharp breath.

"You asked me to take away your brother's memory of it. He had seen the whole thing and you didn't want him to be in pain. I agreed to do it. I think we built some of our trust back that night."

"But I screwed it all up again," He groaned, "In my desperate quest to free Katherine I needed a necklace that your best friend Bonnie possessed. It's a weird long story but basically Emily, Bonnie great grandmother took over her body and destroyed the necklace and my only hope of getting Katherine back. I freaked and bit her. I almost killed her. Stefan saved her life for you."

"So you and Stefan continued to be happy. I just continued to try to ignore the damn draw to you that just wouldn't quit. Stefan and I tried to avoid the vampire hunters in town. When one of Stefan's vampire friends came to visit. Lexi. She presented the perfect opportunity for me to keep Stefan and myself hidden. I killed her to save myself. That was the point when I knew you would never trust me again and I was glad. I couldn't handle the feelings you were bringing out in me so I shut them off. Vampires have the ability to do that."

"Oh" Elena said quietly looking at her lap.

"You and Stefan broke it off for a while. But you got back together one night and then you left angry because you found Katherine's picture. You got into a car wreck. A vampire tried to kill you. I showed up in time to save you and decided to take you with me to Georgia. Where I needed to meet with a witch to find a new way to save Katherine. We got to know one another better and we actually had a lot of fun together. Until a vampire used you as bait to try to kill witch friend Bree set the whole thing up."

"What happened?" She gasped.

"You saved my life. You talked him out of it." He replied. "I will never forget that moment."

"What happened to Bree?" Elena asked.

"I killed her." He said looking down.

"Because she set you up to be killed," Elena said slowly trying to make sense of all this.

"No because_ you _could have been killed in the fall out." he replied.

"So things were better between us after the trip?" Elena guessed wishing she could remember these events wishing she understood what made her go from fearing Damon to loving him.

"Yeah for a while.. then you and Stefan found out about my plan to help Katherine. You persuaded me to let you and Stefan help. That we would all free Katherine. I didn't trust him but you promised me I could trust you. You looked me in the eyes and promised me. I had never trusted anyone until that moment. Something that had started to change in me when I first met you grew bigger in that moment."

"What happened?" Elena said feeling scared to ask.

"You lied." He said simply a pained look flashed across his face.

"I threatened your life if Stefan wouldn't help me. But he didn't believe me even then he knew I felt something for you. He just had no idea it had nothing to do with Katherine and everything to do with you. So I threatened to turn you. _That _he believed." He said.

"Would you have?" Elena asked.

Damon peered at her. "I knew Stefan was going to give me the grimore. I knew I wouldn't have to actually do it."

"That doesn't answer my question." Elena stated.

"I don't know. I've asked myself that question a thousand times. I am just glad I didn't have to." he sighed.

"I don't think you would have." She answered her own question. He shot her a sideways glance and smirked a little. "Maybe your right..."

"So what then we opened the tomb right?" Elena pressed.

"Something happened first." He said "You were kidnapped. Stefan was frantic. I knew who had you. You had drank my blood and I was able to sense you. I found you and knew Anna had you. Her mother was in the tomb she wanted to save her. I knew her from 1864. She promised me she wouldn't harm you. So I didn't save you. I decided to let Stefan do it. I was still so angry and hurt and I hated feelings Elena. I shut them off for many years and they were not welcome for me. I told Stefan I hoped you would die. But I didn't mean it. It was the guilt from the night before eating away at me. I had to work hard to switch of the feelings that time."

"Stefan found you as I knew he would. We talked and you promised never to break my trust again. I actually opened up to you a little we had a nice moment." He murmured a far away look in his eyes.

"So _then_ we opened the tomb?' Elena asked.

"yes" Damon smirked. "And to make a long story very short she wasn't even in there. She lied she never cared."

"That must have been awful" Elena exclaimed. "I'm so sorry..."

"I hurt for a while then you. Became this constant fixture in my mind. I couldn't ever stop thinking abut you. I eventually stopped trying to shut the feelings off because I didn't want to anymore. I wanted to feel what I was feeling for you." He shook his head. "Even though it hurt."

"I don't know exactly when I fell in love with you but it was clear you loved Stefan. He got in some trouble. From the tomb vampires that managed to escape and we saved him. I tried to beg you to stay in the car but you came in the house anyway." He rolled his eyes. "Always so stubborn. So you got Stefan out of there and one of the vampires came after you. You shot him with a vervain dart and had to give Stefan blood to save him and yourself."

"He freaked out when he had human blood again. That's why I stepped in for him at the dance. He had been trying to hide it from you. I came to tell you the truth. He disappeared so I stepped in. It was probably the best moment of my life up to that point. I felt like you were mine for a few moments. You looked at me like you were. " He smiled at the memory.

"I think that's when I knew I loved you." She said quietly.

"Well the moment ended badly. We found Stefan feeding on a girl. We had to take drastic measures to detoxify him."

"Did he hurt me when he was on human blood?" she asked.

"Not physically" Damon replied.

"But emotionally it hurt and you were there for me." She guessed.

"Yeah." he replied softly stroking her hair. "But you loved him Elena. You never gave up on him. In the end you saved him"

"Damon" She whispered.

He continued on "So moving along your vampy mom came to town casing havoc needing some weird invention you great uncle had made. She had to go and tell you and Stefan that I love you."

"I have a vampire mother?" Elena asked "Wait, what she told me you loved me? What did I say?"

"Nothing you just hid your face in my brother's chest and avoided my eyes." he replied looking saddened.

Elena felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"So we all forged ahead me flirting telling me to stop flirting and Stefan pretending not to be jealous as we almost died Stefan and I at the founders day festival. You father used the device that we gave to your mother thinking it was deactivated and it disabled all the vampires. John your father tried to burn us all dead in a building. Bonnie saved me for you." His eyes grew intense.

"I went to your house to talk to your brother. I saw John kill Anna and wanted to give him a

choice this time. He asked me a lot of questions about shutting your feelings off. I didn't realize what he was planning."

"Which was?" Elena asked.

"Turning himself with a vial of blood he got from Anna the vampire that kidnapped you.. she was dating Jeremy. So anyway he turned himself with a vial of her blood and pain pills." Damon said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't save him for you Elena."

"But you did." She replied. "You helped him through it."

He shook his head slightly , " So then I left and ran into you. I opened up to you. I thanked you for saving me. I let everything out in that moment and I kissed you. You aunt interrupted us and you went inside. I walked all the way home before I realized you didn't have the vervain necklace on you always wore and you wouldn't have kissed me back. It was Katherine she pretended to be you. I rushed back there and found John dead your brother in transition and you gone."

"Wow." Elena said taking a long breath."So much of this is so confusing."

"I know" He said softly. "Do you see now why you couldn't love me? After all the things I've done?"

"No." She replied. "I see a man who was hurt and suffering so he gave in to the vampire he was until he met me and unwilling started to change. Until he actually found himself wanting to change. I see a man that suffered through watching me love someone else and planned to do so for god knows how long. I see a man who stopped caring about _everything _until he decided to care about me."

"But Elena when your memories of Stefan return.." he trailed off.

"I don't know what will happen." She said honestly. "But I don't think I'm going to going to back to him. Damon... I think I'm your soulmate."

* * *

**_AN: Sorry for the long history chapter... I wanted Elena to hear Damon's version of the past before she goes back to Mystic Falls. I hope you liked. Please review!_**


	10. Good advice and old demons

**Chapter 10: Good advice and old demons **

Damon stood speechless staring at the girl that just never ceased to surprise him.

"Damon?" She whispered. "I'm serious."

"Hey guys" Ashley butted in "Sorry to interrupt but the food is getting cold. You, guys have been talking forever and Jeremy still hasn't come back."

"Is he okay?" Elena asked.

"He'll be fine." Damon replied. "I'll go talk to him."

"Thanks." Elena said looking flushed.

"What happened?" Ashley asked as they walked back to the table.

"He told me everything about our past." She said quietly. "He admitted to some pretty terrible things. But in the end it was all in the name of love for her and then me."

"Elena your losing me here." Ashley chuckled.

"It's way to much to go over right now. But the bottom line here is he is a vampire and he didn't deny his nature for many years until he met me." Elena said.

"I understand what you mean. Just because a human is changed into a vampire doesn't mean they have to lose who they are. I believe that about your brother too. But he pushed me away."

"He has been through some really terrible things." Elena said remembering what Damon had told her about Vicki and Anna.

"Like what?" Ashley asked.

"I think he should tell you." Elena relied softly.

"I suppose your right. So finding out the sordid truths didn't make you hate Damon like he thought it would?"

"No." She said. "I told him I think he's my soulmate. He got all speechless and then you interrupted."

"Shit." Ashley muttered. "Me and my terrible timing."

"It's okay." Elena sighed. "He is never going to believe I actually love him until I get memory back."

"You will." Ashley said. "Your going to get it back."

"I hope so." Elena said staring at her now cold food.

* * *

"You okay?" Damon said getting into Jeremy's car.

"No.. I mean I am now. She just gets to me. She gets under my skin. I'm trying to learn how to shut off my emotions and she makes it impossible." he grunted.

"I know the feeling." Damon smirked. "It's all about control and just learning to find the balance. Like I said you teach yourself to feed at meal times like humans do so of it's not time to eat your not so hungry. You learn when your attracted to someone and when you want to feed. It just comes in time Jer."

"You called me Jer." He smirked.

"So." Damon grunted.

"It's her nickname for me. I missed it. So thanks." he replied.

Damon just nodded unsure of what to say.

"It's not just the blood lust though Damon. I cannot get involved with another reckless girl. I can't go through Vicki _again _I just can't." Jeremy shuddered."And now I am the one that could hurt her."

"She's not Vicki." Damon replied. "She's not Anna either. You've got it all wrong. Anna was a very smart savvy vampire not a wild reckless girls like Vicki. Ashley though I don't know her well yet. She does seem like a free spirit but she is still stable enough to have taken care of Elena all year without her memory. Jeremy your comparing these girls. Stop doing that their not the same." Damon said.

"I guess your right." He mumbled. "But I don't trust myself with her. I need to keep her at arms length for now."

"Good luck with that." Damon quipped.

"So have you filled Elena in on her past?"

"Just since I've known her. My version of things really. I'm sure Stefan's will be full of rainbows and ponies but at least I gave her the truth." Damon said dryly.

"How did she take it?"

"She thinks she's my soul mate." Damon said trying to smirk not sure what to do with this idea of hers.

"Maybe she is." Jeremy shrugged. "I'd rather her be with you then him. He didn't even fight for her. He read that freakin letter and gave up. Did you tell her about how Stefan fell into Katherine's charms when you kidnapped her?"

"I haven't gotten into what happened after I realized she was gone yet."

"Well you should before he brainwashes her with these rainbows and ponies you speak off" Jeremy warned.

"Don't forget the puppies." Damon quipped back."That he_ eats _afterwards."

Jeremy laughed. "Come on let's go get the girls. I think its time to go home and figure out how we're going to get my sister's memory back."

"I guess so" Damon said quietly.

"Have some faith Damon. Things might turn out differently then you think they will." Jeremy said.

"Stop giving me advice you forget I'm over 100 years your senior." Damon replied.

"Yeah but I am more mature when it comes to love." Jeremy said with a smirk.

"You are not!" Damon exclaimed. "I have been around the world more the once."

"That hardly counts." Jeremy smirked. "I have been in love twice in two serious relationships. You have had one, If that even counts because it was all manipulation."

"That does not make you more mature then me.." Damon started as Jeremy left the car.

"One of these days kid." Damon grunted angry.

"Your won't do anything to me. I'm like a little brother to you." Jeremy replied flippantly and headed into the bar.

"What is with these Gilbert's?" Damon said shaking his head as he followed Jeremy inside.

* * *

**Mystic Falls VA**

Stefan felt odd being at home alone in the boarding house. It had been so long since he had any solice. It wasn't doing him any good though. He just kept replaying the last year in head over and over again staring into the fire.

**Flashback: one week after Katherine was captured.**

"Katherine."Stefan entering the basement he was here to feed Jeremy. But he couldn't help but check on her. She was so ashen and weak. It hurt him to see her like this. He didn't agree with his brother. This wasn't;t the way to save Elena.

"Stefan.." She said roughly. "It hurts so bad. I'm telling the truth I didn't take her. I think she left on her own Stefan. Can you blame her for not wanting to be a vampire? That's where this life will lead."

Stefan nodded she was making sense after all.

"I'm sorry Stefan. If I had known he was so cruel and evil. I would have come back for you. Look at what he's done to me." Katherine pleaded with him.

"Stefan stop listening to her." Jeremy called out from his room.

Stefan stared at her for a long moment. He should not have done it. But he couldn't bare the look in her eyes, He slipped her the blood bag and retrieved another one for Jeremy. He gave Jeremy his blood and returned throwing away the now empty bag he gave to Katherine.

"Thank you." She whispered too low for young Jeremy to hear. "If you help me get out of here I will take you with me, You can forgot about her and have me again. I love you."

"No" he whispered with little resolve and headed back up the stairs.

**end flashback.**

But the resolve didn't last long, Stefan thought dryly. He continued to feed Katherine in secret. Damon was growing suspicious though and they needed a plan. Stefan was weary to let her go. A small part of him was concerned that she did have Elena somewhere. But Bonnie crushed that 3 weeks later when she showed up.

**Flashback three weeks after founders day:**

"Bonnie?' Stefan said answering the door. He didn't expect her to show up here.

"Hey Stefan. Is Damon here?"

"No He's out looking for Elena." Stefan said deciding not to tell her about Katherine.

"Good." Bonnie said. "Look Stefan I did the locator spell Damon asked me to do. She did leave on her own Stefan. She's happy too. She's moving on. She met some friends and she's staying with them. She's being human. I thought you should know. I won't help you guys find her. She deserves this chance to get away."

Stefan nodded and shut the door was his loved her with all his heart. He loved her because she human not in spite of it. He would never have taken it from her. Bonnie was right he had no right to drag a human into his life and was glad she had managed to escape him. Even though it would haunt him forever.

He decided at that moment that he would stop trying to be human. Katherine still loved him and he still loved her. He raced down the stairs to Katherine and let her out. Burning his hands on the vervain ropes removing them.

"I love you." he said and she smiled.

"Blood Stefan." She said weakly.

"There isn't any left. Damon went to get some." Stefan fretted. "I just fed drink from me."

"Second hand animal blood?" She grimaced but had no choice and drank quickly almost draining him.

"My necklace" She said and he handed it to her.

"Later Stefan." She said and flew up the stars and disappeared.

**End flashback**

"Ahhhh!" Stefan screamed holding his head. The memories the pain killing him. He couldn't take it any more he couldn't live like this all along with nothing but the memories.

He found himself in the cellar they had locked Katherine in. She kicked the door open and went over the freezer they kept the blood bags in. He started at it for a long time. An image of Elena crossed his mind replaced with an image of Katherine. He didn't scream this time. He slowly opened the freezer door.

* * *

Please review!


	11. I'm going home

**Chapter 11: I'm going home**

Elena and Ashley looked up from their burgers as Damon and Jeremy entered. Jeremy was smirking and was Damon scowling.

Ashley shot Elena a curios look and Elena just shrugged.

"Your eating cold food?" Damon said frowning.

"We were starving." Ashley replied.

"Well I'm not letting two beautiful ladies eat cold food on my dime." Damon said looking offended.

Elena pushed the plate of cold food away from her. "Maybe we can just stop at a gas station and get some chuck wagons."

"Elena," Damon sighed. "I am not going to suffer through watching you eat that. Why don't we just order some new burgers?"

"They really aren't _that_ bad." Ashley muttered as Damon went to have the kitchen make them new food. "Is he always so dramatic?"

"Yup" Jermey said grabbing cold fry and popping it in his mouth.

"So Damon and I were thinking it's time to get you home." Jeremy said as Damon came back to the table taking a seat next to Elena. She scooted closer to him and he instinctively found his arm around her.

"Okay." She agreed. "It's probably my best bet of getting my memory back."

"Ashley are you okay to drive yourself home?" Jeremy asked.

"No way!" She exclaimed. "I'm coming with you!"

"No.. that's not a good idea. You and Elena can't stay at her house and the boarding house has three vampires living in it, It's not safe." Jeremy augured.

"I'm not scared." Ashley said tossing her blond hair definitely.

"I really need her support Jeremy." Elena said. "I know you won't hurt her."

"How would you _know_ that?" Jeremy asked an edge to his voice. Damon shot him a warning look.

"Because she believes it and I trust her instincts." Elena replied gesturing to Ashley. She smirked in self satisfaction.

"It will be fine Jeremy." Damon grunted. "You can stay in the basement again for a little bit while she's there and she can stay upstairs in one of the guestrooms"

"But Damon.." Jeremy said.

"You haven't hurt her yet have you?" Damon asked.

"No.. but" Jeremy grunted.

"Then it's settled." Ashley quipped. "I'm sure Damon and Elena want to ride together so I'll ride with Jeremy."

"No you won't." Damon replied. "I'm okay with you being in the boarding house with him. Not an enclosed space like a car. You need to be careful. Trust is one thing but he _can_ hurt you. It doesn't mean he wants to but he _can_. You need to remember that."

"But you would never hurt Elena." Ashley augured.

"I am over 146 years old as a vampire." Damon replied. "He is one."

"Okay I see your point. I guess" She mumbled.

"You might need your car anyway, Ashley," Elena pointed out. "In case you need to get home or something."

"I suppose." Ashley sighed in defeat.

* * *

Elena slept most of the way back to Mystic Falls. Damon kept a careful watch on the road and the two cars behind him while still taking the time to just study her sleeping face. He knew he should call Stefan tell him they were on the way. But he could not bring himself to do it. He didn't want to taint this moment with her. Any moment she was willing to give him he was just going to take it. He couldn't fight her anyway.

He frowned realizing how late it was. Luckily their hadn't been any strange attacks around Mystic Falls since Katherine disappeared. It would seem she had left town. But you just never know with Katherine and she had been invited in to Elena's house. He didn't want to take any chances.

Alaric had taken Jenna on a cruise for the summer so Damon wasn't going to have to worry about trying to explain Elena to her aunt. He knew Elena would be really sad when she was filled in on what happened to her parents before they met her. He didn't mean to leave, that part of her past for Stefan to explain. But he was glad he did. Because he had a hard time dealing with her pain.

He couldn't help feel somewhat guilty that the best moments of his life happened in the past few days with her. But it was tainted somehow because she wasn't completely coherent in her decision making. Damon wanted her fair and square. Knowing everything about him and still choosing him. His heart had a new hope in it but his mind still told him there was no way that was going to happen.

* * *

Damon pulled into the driveway and saw an angry looking Stefan emerge from the house glaring at the three cars pulling up. Elena stepped out and started foreword. Damon followed behind her feeling that pain already start to fill his chest having to witness his reunion with Elena. Stefan's face changed instantly when her saw her. He smiled in joy and started toward her.

"Elena!" Stefan exclaimed throwing his arms around her.

She pulled back looking bewildered.

"Stefan wait.." Dampn started.

But Stefan ingored him. He let her back a bit but held on to her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her. She turned her face away quickly. "No" She said weakly taking a step back towards Damon. He put his hands on her shoulders protectively. Knowing she wasn't his to protect but he felt like she was and he wasn't ever going to stop protecting her. He was better at that then Stefan ever was.

"No" Stefan growled. "You don't protect her from me!" His face seemed to register exactly what Damon was thinking as he glared angrily at Damon.

Elena trembled a bit and Damon found himself pulling her closer to him and glaring at Stefan. "Your scaring her Stefan. Stop it."

"Elena" he said softer "Its me Stefan. What happened? What did he do to you?"

"Nothing." She said. "He has been wonderful to me. He wouldn't ever hurt me. He never stopped looking for me."

"I'm so sorry Elena. I thought you left me. I thought you wanted me to stay away" Stefan said looking confused.

He reached out to her "Please.." His eyes pleaded with her to come to him. To separate herself from his brother. But she felt this strange fear. He was unknown and Damon was her safety. She took a deep breath and tried to be strong.

"I don't know you Stefan." She said softly. "Your making me feel really apprehensive right now."

"I'm sorry... I." He said looking baffled. "What? What do you mean you don't know me sweetheart?"

"I tried to tell you." Damon replied. "She's a little fragile right now and doesn't remember most of her life. So maybe you could try to avoid mauling her?" Damon said irritably. He ran his hands softly though Elena's hair a tender look flashing through his eyes that Stefan didn't miss.

"Oh and _you _get to run your hands all over her!" Stefan exclaimed.

"I do remember Damon." Elena said a soft smile passing her lips. "It's okay. I feel safe with him."

Damon couldn't help but smirk at Stefan. His chest felt like it was going to burst.

"What?' Stefan asked kneeling beside her.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember you but I remember him. One memory of him." She said almost sounding whimsical.

"Elena.. he used compulsion on you. Don't you get it? That's what has happened. You left on your own accord. Damon found you and compelled you to only remember him. Its so_ typical Damon_." Stefan spat out quickly making it up as he went along but believing himself.

"No" Elena said firmly. "He would never do that."

"Of coarse I wouldn't" Damon spat out "Come on Stefan. If I wanted to compel her. I knew where the necklace was. I would have done it."

"Besides" Ashley piped up "I found her a year ago and her memory was already gone. Why would he compel her and then wait a year to find her?"

"I guess he wouldn't" Stefan said shaking his head "Miss...?"

"I'm Ashley, like I said I'm the one who took Elena in. Me and my cousin Andrew." Ashley said extending her hand.

Stefan shook his head slowly still looking confused. "Maybe that's what Bonnie saw and just didn't realize her memory was gone.."

"What are you talking about Stefan?" Damon said looking suspicious.

"Let's not worry about that now. It's dark we should get these girls inside." Stefan replied helping Jeremy with the girls bags.

Elena gaped at the huge mansion and looked over to see a similar expression on Ashley's face.

"Holy crap!" Ashley exclaimed. "You could fit like five of my house in here!"

"It's just like it was in my dream so intimating and huge. But beautiful" Elena whispered.

"You remember the house?" Stefan asked.

"Yes, I just did recently. I remembered meeting Damon and seeing this house. You were in my memory. But I didn't feel a connection. I'm very sorry" She explained.

"It's okay Elena." Stefan said softly. "I will help you remember."

"Thanks." She said feeling akward. "But Damon's filled me in on a lot. Right now I just need time to relax and take in what I know so far. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed as it is just being here. It seems so familiar but I can't remember how or why. It's very frustrating sometimes."

"Just take your time." Damon said "You don't have to push yourself now that your home."

"Who knows maybe your memories will keep coming back to you" Jeremy offered.

"Right now I think we just need sleep" Ashley yawned and Elena nodded her head in agreement. She had slept most of the way in the car but she was still so tired. The memory took a lot out of her. She still had a dull pain in her head from it.

"Well we have the plenty of guest rooms take your pick." Stefan offered taking the girls bags and leading them up the stairs.

* * *

Damon rolled his eyes at Jeremy already annoyed with his brother and followed just in time to see Elena wander into his bedroom while Stefan was showing Ashley a guestroom.

"This isn't a guest room but your more then welcome" Damon whispered into her ear making her heart jump a beat.

"Oh! Is it your room?" She whispered back.

"Unless you would like to stay in it. In which case I would declare it _your_ room Miss Gilbert" Damon offered graciously.

"Will you be staying in it with me?" She whispered suggestively.

"Elena!" Stefan interrupted. "I know you don't remember me. But I can hardly stand back and allow my girlfriend to sleep with my brother."

Elena blushed furiously she had forgotten what Damon explained to her about how good vampires can hear.

"I didn't mean like that..really" She stammered feeling embarrassed. "I just sleep better next to him. Then I have ever have. I.." She stopped seeing the hurt look pass his face.

"I understand Elena. I do." Stefan said quietly "You don't remember anything and he has been there for you. He can be very sweet and charming when he wants to be. But you should stay away from him. He isn't safe."

"Oh come on" Damon grunted "She's been here five minutes Stefan. Geez"

"That's not true" She said firmly. "I trust him."

"Elena you don't know the things he has done" Stefan warned.

"Yes I do." She replied. "He told me everything."

"He put his own spin on things then." Stefan replied.

"No I _didn't_. I told her everything. Well everything from my point of view since I've met her. I left out all the gross cuddly moments you two had. I even told her some stuff she didn't know before" Damon said coming to stand next to Elena. "But I didn't paint myself as the white knight. I was honest with her."

Stefan stood staring somberly at his brother and Elena who kept leaning in to Damon as if seeking comfort from him. He couldn't let history repeat itself. He couldn't let this happen. Not to Elena. He knew Damon spun things somehow. He was ever the opportunist and of coarse he used this siltation to his full advantage, Stefan though nervously.

"I just can't allow you to sleep in here with him" Stefan said. "You just don't fully understand who he is yet."

"Just stop it Stefan" Damon muttered. "She is her own woman she can sleep wherever she wants. I'm not going to take advantage of her."

Stefan stared at Elena gently and as calmly as he could needing her to understand. That it was him she could trust. "Elena. I will let this go for tonight. But I'm going to get some vervain for you before you go to sleep" .

"I'm _not going _to compel her." Damon said getting frustrated. "Funny how you had no issues with me out searching for her while you sat around here and did nothing. But the second she's home again what you say goes. Get over yourself brother."

"I thought she left!" Stefan yelled seeing Elena jump at his loss of control. He chastised himself and calmed down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you"

"Well you did. So you can leave now." Damon said pushing Stefan out the door.

"Wait Elena" Stefan begged "I want to tell you about the past too. You deserve to hear things from my point of view. Can we talk?"

"Not tonight." She frowned. "I'm feeling overwhelmed right now as it is. Maybe tomorrow we can talk then?"

"Okay." he said softly taking her hand. "I'm sorry for the way I was acting. You will understand when your back to yourself again. But for now I don't want to overwhelm you. I hate to see you upset in any way. I will be patient."

She felt a pang of guilt looking into his eyes which were so hurt and so desperate for her to remember him. Elena shuddered slightly something about Stefan scared her. She couldn't figure out what it was. He was her boyfriend afterall. Why would he scare her? She looked at him for a moment and looked away. It was something about his eyes. Something she needed to remember. She had a feeling it was important. But of course nothing came to her.

"It was nice to meet you Stefan." She said as politely as she could. "But I would really like to get some sleep now."

"Of course" he said looking pained "Good night Elena"

"Good night Stefan" She said quietly.

* * *

Please review!


	12. Some men buy flowers

**Chapter 12 Some men buy flowers...**

Damon woke up early and lay silently gazing at Elena. He loved the way her long straight hair flowed over her pillow and her body curled up next to his. He studied her sleeping face and noticed she has matured a bit over the year. Her cheek bones aware a little more defined and her hair had lightened a little in the Florida sun. She looked more like a young woman and less like a teenage girl.

Her lips curled into a smile as she dreamed. He could hear her heart speed up just a little. He wondered if she was dreaming about him. Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up fast.

"Elena?" He asked.

"I had a memory." She said smiling. "I think it was of my mother. She was giving me a pep talk.. about hanging in there. She was saying it's only _two_ days Elena. Sometimes we have to do what the boys want to do. We were in a tent .. I think."

"What was she like?" He asked her.

"Beautiful and so warm. I was irritable when the dream started. but then she cheered me up without even trying. Wait don't you know my mother? You said she's a vampire?" Elena's face twisted in confusion.

Damon sighed sadly, It figured he would end being the one who had to tell her this.

"You were adopted Elena, The woman in your dream was your adoptive mother and your aunt. You didn't find out until recently." Damon explained. "Your real mother is a vampire."

"Oh.." Elena said quietly. "She felt like my mother."

"She was in every way that counts."

"Where is she? Can we go see her?" Elena asked.

"No" Damon said taking her hand. "I'm really sorry Elena. Right before I met you. Your parents... there is no easy way to say this."

"What happened?" She said looking distraught her happiness shattered.

"There was a bad car wreck." he said quietly softly stroking her hand. "Your parents didn't make it."

"Oh." Elena said quietly a tear falling on her cheek.

"You used to go visit their grave a lot and talk to them." Damon offered putting her arm around her and pulling her close. "Maybe we could visit it today?"

"I would like that." She said burring her head in his shoulder. "Can you get Jeremy to come to? Maybe he could tell me some stories about them. I want to remember the time I did have with them more then anything right now."

"I know you do just don't push yourself to hard okay?" He said kissing the top of her head.

Elena got ready quickly and ran across the hall to wake Ashley up while Damon went to get Jeremy.

"'Morning Elena" Ashley said drowsily pulling herself up. "This bed is amazing. I feel like royalty."

"So,, I had a memory" Elena said.

"You did? Was it Damon again?"

"No this time I saw my mother. Or the woman who adopted me but I thought she was my mother my whole life. It was a really sweet memory." Elena said sadly.

"Did you feel a connection to her?" Ashley asked.

"Yes." Elena nodded. "A very strong connection just like Damon."

"So then why do you look so sad?"

"She died" Elena murmured "Her and my dad in a car wreck."

"Oh.. I am so sorry" Ashley.

"I felt such a connection to her and now I feel so remorseful and cheated that I do not have all my memories of her." Elena cried softly.

Ashley quickly pulled her friend into an embrace and stroked her back softly.

"I can imagine. At least I have that." Ashley said softly.

Elena pulled back and stared into Ashley's saddened blue eyes. She realized she had never met Ashley's parents. "Did something happen?"

Ashley nodded. "My mother died when I was 14. She had breast cancer. By the time they caught it it was just to late to save her" tears started streaming down her both of their faces as she continued. "My dad started drinking and using after her death he couldn't handle life you know? So I kind of got shipped around from relative to relative until Andrew finally took me in."

"Ashley why haven't you ever told me this?' Elena asked.

"I don't know. I try not to dwell on things. I've never met one person that said their life was easy. We all have our hardships. I would just rather enjoy what life has to offer then reminisce about what it doesn't." Ashley said thoughtfully wiping her tears and blowing her nose.

Elena nodded giving Ashley a quick hug. No wonder they had gotten along so well so quickly. They really were kindred spirits, she mused.

* * *

Damon and Jeremy were waiting in the kitchen for the girls when Stefan came running into the house.

"Where were _you_?" Damon asked.

"I went out for an early morning run." Stefan replied. "Why do you care?"

"I figured you would still be sleeping after staying up _all_ night sitting by my bedroom door." Damon scoffed.

"I was prepared to step in and protect her if need be." Stefan replied.

"How many times do I have to say it?" Damon said irritably. "I'm not going to hurt her and that's not what your afraid of any way is it Stefan? Your scared she is going to come out of all this and still prefer me."

"That is not going to happen" Stefan muttered glancing as Elena and Ashley started down the stairs.

"Good morning Elena" Stefan said cheerfully greeting her at the bottom of the stairs. Ashley stepped ahead of them into the kitchen and made a gagging face at Jeremy and Damon.

"Morning" Elena said quietly.

"Do you want me to make you breakfast?"

"No thanks. I'm not really that hungry." Elena said.

"We can stop and get something on the way back." Jeremy offered.

"Where are you going?' Stefan asked. "I though we were going to talk today?"

"Oh.. I forgot." Elena said sheepishly. "I think I'll have to take a rain check. I want to learn more about my parents today. We are going to visit their grave."

"Of course you do." Stefan nodded. "You used to visit their grave a lot. It could trigger some memories."

"That's what I'm hoping." Elena said shuffling her feet anxiously. "See you later."

"Right. Um maybe we can talk a little later about _our_ past?" Stefan called out hopefully just as she turned around and hurried into the kitchen to join the others. Something about Stefan just made her feel so uneasy. Elena shot Damon a 'save me' look.

"Nope" Damon said crisply to Stefan. "It will be too much. She doesn't need to overdo it."

"You just don't want her to remember me." Stefan muttered.

"Don't so this now. You want to get into it we will do it later. I am not stressing Elena out for you. Your soo not worth it." Damon said in a voice to low for Elena or Ashley to hear it.

* * *

They were halfway up the wooded trail to the graveyard when Damon laughed silently as he faintly heard Stefan scream in frustration. He looked over to Jeremy but he didn't appear to have heard.

Only Stefan waits until the coast is clear to scream, Damon thought shaking his head. He was more irritated with Stefan then usual lately. Which was strange because he hasn't had to watch him with Elena so he should actually be _more _tolerant of Stefan. He was just so annoyed with how he was acting towards Elena. His happy supportive crap was coming out pretty fake in Damon's eyes. He was starting to realize that while he may not deserve Elena his brother sure as hell doesn't either. He didn't even fight for her. He just gave up and even worse was willing to go to Katherine. Damon mused.

Jeremy's laugh broke him out of his thoughts. He realized Elena had just described her memory.

"I remember that!" Jeremy smiled. "Dad took us all on a camping trip and you didn't want to go. You were scared to sleep in a tent. But Mon persuaded you to be a good sport about it and ended up having a really great time."

"I wish I could remember it." Elena said smiling back at him softly. Her connection to Jeremy suddenly felt a little stronger though.

They spent most of the afternoon at the grave listening to Jeremy tell Elena stories about their parents and their childhood. She felt more rooted and connected to herself now that she had this past she could fit herself in.

Ashley and Elena were both starving by the time they left the graveyard.

"Is there a restaurant we can go to?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know if Elena should be seen in town yet." Damon said slowly. "I just have a weird feeling about it. Someone and most likely Katherine erased your memories and put you on that bus. They won't be happy to find out your back here."

Elena shuddered. "So I could be in danger?"

"Possibly." Damon murmured. "I'm sorry. I don't want to scare you. But it is an unfortunate reality you need to be aware of."

"Elena I swear your life is like something out of a fantasy world." Ashley said shaking her head.

"We'll protect you sis" Jeremy said trying to assure her.

"We're safe if we stay in your house though right?" Elena asked. "Because vampires can't get in unless we invite them."

"Well.. that's the thing no human actually resides on our house." Damon said thoughtfully. "But I could give the house to you Elena."

"Give her your house?" Ashley exclaimed. "That _house_?" She pointed at the large manor in front of them.

"Some men buy flowers" Damon said dramatically taking Elena's hand in his. "And some men give away their house."

Elena flushed slightly and smiled at him. "I admit the gesture is really romantic and um wow... but I can't take your house. I mean that is just..."

"Then just take it temporarily until I can make your house safe again." Damon countered. "It's the best way to keep you safe."

"Okay. But just temporarily." Elena agreed and shook her head as he rushed into the house to get the deed.

"You should just marry him and keep him _and _his house forever" Ashley whispered coyly.

"Ashley!" Elena whispered furiously her face red. "Vampire hearing remember?"

Ashley chuckled as Elena glared at her and went to meet Damon on the porch.

* * *

"I never did thank you for everything you did for my sister." Jeremy said moving a little closer but avoiding eye contact.

"You don't have to thank me for caring about her. She's my best friend." Ashley said smiling at him.

"It was nice what you did for her today. I really had fun listening to your stories." She continued.

"Thanks" he said fidgeting a bit. "Maybe you could tell me about your parents sometime?"

"I don't know. my stories aren't as nice to hear." Ashley said softly.

"Not all mine are either." Jeremy said finally meeting her eyes.

"I figured that much." She replied. "Many people say I'm a really good listener."

"Really?" Jeremy said smirking slightly "I pegged you for more of a talker."

"Well yes I'm good at that too" She agreed her blue eyes glittering slightly. "One of my _many _talents"

"She's modest too" Jeremy teased.

"Your cute." Ashley said suddenly kissing him on the cheek. He stopped cold for a moment turned back to her slowly.

"You shouldn't get to close." Her warned his eyes looking pained.

"Jeremy" She sighed. "Your not.." But he had already disappeared into woods.

She sighed as she went to join Elena in the house.

* * *

**Thank you everyone for reviewing! Hope you liked this chapter! Please review :)**


	13. The nightmare

**Chapter 12: The nightmare **

Elena hurried up to the porch to meet Damon. Stefan was behind him looking confused.

"What's going on?" He was asking Damon.

"I'm signing the house over to Elena for the time being. It will keep Katherine and any other unwelcome vampires out until I can make her house safe again." Damon explained handing the papers over to Elena and showing her where to sign.

"What do you mean by that?" Stefan asked his eyes narrowed.

"Are you really that dense?" Damon smirked. "If Elena lives here vampires can't just waltz right in."

"I know that" Stefan stressed. "I mean just how to you plan to make Elena's house safe again?"

"Seriously Stefan." Damon rolled his eyes. "How do you think I'm going to make it safe?"

"We need to discuss this in more detail before you run off and make decisions without me." Stefan said darkly.

"There is nothing to talk about Stefan." Damon replied crisply. "She's been invited in."

"What are you guys talking about?" Elena asked as Stefan and Damon exchanged a heated look. As Ashley ran up to greet them.

"Hey your brother just took off on me. He ran into the woods somewhere" Ashley said as she came up to join them on the porch.

"What happened?' Damon asked.

"I kissed him." She said quietly.

Damon rolled his eyes. "I'll go talk to him. Elena will you invite me in quick?"

"Come on in Damon" She said laughing as he walked in and back out towards the woods.

"Can you invite me in too?" Stefan asked.

Elena nodded "Sure come in Stefan."

"So if your not invited in you just are blocked or what?" Ashley asked Stefan.

"Exactly like that. It's like a force field you can't cross it." Stefan replied.

"So.. stop changing the subject Ashley. You _kissed_ him?" Elena asked her eyes twinkling.

"We were kind of flirting and then I kissed him on the cheek. You would think my lips burnt him or something with how fast he took of running." She sighed.

"That wasn't a very smart thing to so. It's to soon for Jeremy to be around humans. Much less touching them." Stefan reprimanded.

"I disagree," Ashley said. "The more he learns to be around humans the better he will be able to control himself. He has to get used to it. If you cut him off from it he's only going to crave it more."

Stefan chuckled slightly, "With all do respect. I've been a vampire a lot longer then you have been aware of vampires. You would be smart to listen to me."

"You know what my biggest pet peeve is?" Ashley asked Elena ignoring Stefan.

"What?" Elena asked nervously.

"When someone says with all do respect or no offense. As some kind of like disclaimer before making a respectful and rude comment." Ashley said glaring quickly at Stefan.

"I didn't mean to offend you." He said. "I just don't think you realize the dangers..."

"Whatever" Ashley said rolling her eyes.

"Hey Elena can you invite me in?" Jeremy called from the yard. Ashley's eyes widened a bit and her cheeks flushed red.

"Yeah come in Jeremy." Elena said.

"We're not staying" he said quickly to Elena avoiding Ashley's gaze. "We're going to go to the blood bank and the grocery store. There is a couple of pizzas in my freezer down stairs if you guys are hungry."

"Starving!" Elena said. "Thanks!"

"So we'll see you guys in a little while then?" Ashley pressed.

"Yeah. Maybe we can all watch a movie or something." he agreed and hurried out of the house.

Ashley smiled smugly and Elena rolled her eyes. She noticed Stefan had left and breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Damon and Jeremy drove into town quietly. They both kept an eye out for anything unusual. Damon was still on edge over Katherine. He sent Jeremy to the grocery store while he grabbed a drink with Sheriff Forbes and the grill.

"So the town still quiet?" He said.

"I'm keeping a careful eye out. Two bodies have been found this week just outside of town. But nothing in town as of yet." she reported and Damon narrowed his eyes.

"Any attempt at a cover up?" He asked.

"None." She said frustrated . "My concern of course is they went through there to get here."

"That seems to be the trend." Damon replied.

"I'll let you know in anything else happens." she said as she left.

Damon finished his drink and left just as Jeremy pulled up.

"You haven't killed anybody have you?" Damon asked he he got in.

"What?" Jeremy asked. "No. Of course not."

Damon smiled he was actually really impressed with Jeremy. So far he has been the only vampire Damon had sired that had never killed a human. He bit Alaric once but pulled back on time.

"Why?"

"Two bodies right outside of town." Damon replied tersely.

"Good call on the house." Jeremy said feeling relieved that both Elena and Ashely were safe.

"Katherine." Damon muttered. "She didn't try to hide it. She's letting us know she's here."

"Whatever you need to do to protect my sister. I'm there with you. I'm helping and do not try to stop me or hold me back." Jeremy said as he accelerated a bit.

"Go faster then that I have a bad feeling." Damon muttered.

* * *

After eating and watching TV for a while Elena and Ashley decided to nap until Damon and Jeremy came back. Elena was exhausted from the emotional day. She also felt a dull pain in her head. She feel asleep quickly. But didn't stay asleep long as a troubling memory hit her forcefully in her dreams.

_Stefan was drinking blood from her wrist. But she felt okay with it. She wasn't scared. It hurt when he first but bit then it was just an odd feeling almost pleasurable. Until he started pulling a little more a little to quickly. She jumped and he stopped his eyes hid behind a tree. She was scared of something. _

_Stefan lay in wait for whatever it was and then the other vampire tried to attack him. Stefan faked him out and stabbed him through the heart. She felt her fear grow as she watched Stefan lose it on the guy. He kept stabbing him over and over again._

_"Stefan stop!" She yelled out._

_He turned to stare at her his face vamped out he growled. She jumped back in fear. _

_Her dream quickly faded away to another scene of her and Stefan in bed together kissing. It felt wrong somehow. That same uneasy feeling she kept getting about him had come back. She rolled on top of him trying to ignore the feeling when he pushed her back under him and became aggressive. He held her arms down. She stared in horror as his he tried to hide his darkened veins. He caught her expression and flew from the bed. _

She snapped her eyes open and sat up sweating a little from the intensity of the dream.

"You okay?" A voice said next to her.

Elena turned to see Stefan sitting by her bed.

"Ah!" She screamed jumping back. "Help!"

"It's okay it's me Elena" He said getting closer.

She let out an ear piercing scream.

Damon was up the stairs in a flash with Jeremy right behind him. Elena was crouched into the corner of the bed. Stefan looked at her in confusion.

"Elena!" Damon said running toward her and sitting on the bed next to her. Putting himself in between her and Stefan. She reached her arms around his neck and gripped him tightly.

"What is it what happened?' Damon said looking at Stefan with suspicion.

"He was going to hurt me!" She said.

Damon's eyes shot daggers at Stefan.

"No I _wasn't_. I was just watching her sleep." Stefan said quickly. "I would never hurt you Elena."

"I don't mean right now." She said feeling goosebumps up her neck at the thought of him watching her sleep. "I had a memory of you"

"I never hurt you Elena." Stefan augured shaking his head.

"What happened in your dream Elena?" Damon asked calmly stroking her hair but not taking his angry eyes off of Stefan for a second.

"I gave him my blood. But it was because he was in trouble. He killed a vampire but.. then he scared me. His face and they way he growled. It was like he didn't even recognize me. I thought he was going to hurt me." She explained.

"But I didn't Elena." Stefan reminded her. "It was an instinct. I hadn't had human blood in a long time it caused me to to lose control. But I pulled back from you. I felt terrible about scaring you."

"But then I had another dream.. of _us_. We were kissing and you got really aggressive your veins popped out. You wanted to hurt me." Elena said her voice shaking slightly. She felt Damon's body tense up more and more as she talked.

"I pulled back Elena. I stopped myself. I didn't hurt you.." Stefan tried to explain "It's okay.." He reached out to stroke her arm but Elena jumped back even further into the corner.

"**Leave**." Damon said his eyes boring into Stefan's with hate.

"Elena.." Stefan pleaded.

She felt sorry for him for a moment but his eyes were wrong. She didn't know how she knew this or why she thought this. Maybe it had something to do with her memory. She ignored his pleading look and buried her face in Damon's chest just as Damon said she once did to to him when she was with Stefan. After her mother had revealed Damon's feelings for her. The irony wasn't lost any of them.

"If you remembered everything. You wouldn't be scared of me Elena." Stefan said."You are always safe with me."

"I told you to leave." Damon said again his eyes darkening. "I don't want to scare her so don't make me lose it on you little brother."

Stefan considered egging Damon on to the point where he would vamp out. He wanted Elena to see who the real villain was here. But he knew she needed to feel safe right now and he wanted that too despite his jealously.

"I'm so sorry Elena. I didn't mean to scare you I swear. I love so so much." He said as he left.

"I'll make sure he stays gone." Jeremy said tightly following Stefan out. A sickened expression on his face.

Elena shuddered into Damon's chest. "Shh.. It's okay." he whispered into her hair feeling her heartbeat calm against his chest he laid her down gently and tucked her in.

Satisfied she was asleep he quietly left the room and started for the stairs looking for Stefan. His eyes filled with rage.

* * *

_**Please review! **_


	14. Bitter Pill

**Chapter 13: Bitter Pill **

Stefan was assuring Jeremy that he never hurt Elena as Damon headed down the stairs. He gave Jeremy a get lost look and he scurried into the kitchen.

Damon grabbed him by his throat and pushed him up against the wall.

"You tried to feed off her?" Damon questioned glaring into Stefan's eyes. "Against her will?"

"It was right after she had given me blood. I lost control for a second. The real Elena understands."

"The_ real _Elena?" Damon scoffed "She is the 'real' Elena you tool. She just doesn't have all her memories in tact. She may be running on emotion and instinct but they're_ her _emotions and _her _instincts."

"Elena loves me. Not you." Stefan snapped angrily pushing Damon off him.

"I'm not as sure about that as you are." Damon quipped. "I don't know what's going to happen when she regains her memory. But for now she is content and feels safe with me. You on the other hand scare her. I don't want her feeling scared in her own home. So I suggest you dial it down a notch and back off."

"You don't get to tell me what to do about _my _girlfriend Damon!" Stefan yelled pushing Damon backwards. He stumbled slightly but was right back on Stefan his hand at his throat yet again.

_Elena woke up to the raised voices. Her head was throbbing. She stood up and sat back down instantly as flash went through her head. Everything came rushing through her head so quickly she felt shaken. Images and thoughts nothing was in any kind of order. It all just __kept rushing into her head. Then stopped as fast as it had come. She felt dizzy and had to steady herself. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She noticed the cell phone on the table. It was Damon__'s phone. She was in Damon's room. Why? Sudden realization hit Elena likes a freight train. As she started putting the scattered memories together. _

_"Oh my god." she whispered. "What am I am going to do?" _

_She thought about what had happened a year ago and seethed. She was going to get revenge. No one was going to steal her life and memories and get away with it. She heard the scuffling downstairs and it dawned on her that Damon and Stefan were fighting. _

_"Over me", she whispered to low for the fighting brothers to hear even with their supersonic hearing,"I've torn them apart just like she did."_

"Stop acting like she's yours." Stefan said trying to pry Damon's fingers from his throat.

"F' off Stefan." Damon yelled "You did _nothing_ to find her. You just gave up. You gave up and you derailed my plans to get her back. Now she is confused and fragile and you hound her like she owes you something. She doesn't owe you anything you gave up on her!"

_Elena crept closer to the door frame as quietly as possible listening intently. Damon.. Oh god she made him reveal his feelings about her. She told him she loved him she kissed him. But she wanted to.. She may not have known what she was doing but she knew how badly she had wanted to do it. _

"I believed the letter!" Stefan exclaimed, "I thought she left!"

_Elena frowned wondering how Stefan could have doubted her so much after everything she did for __him._

"You believed Katherine. You were feeding her. You even helped her escape. " Damon muttered shaking his head.

_Elena felt a rage fill up in the pit in her stomach and had to take a deep breath to calm herself hoping the brothers were to heated with each other to have heard it. She could not face them together_.

"You were torturing her!" Stefan exclaimed. "The vervain ropes and the lack of blood. Staking her every time she tried to tell you she didn't know where Elena was. She didn't know!"

"Oh she knew!" Damon yelled. "Come on Stefan. Katherine shows up and the same day Elena disappears. Yeah. I'm not big on coincidences."

"She swore she had no idea. I believed her. How can you claim to have loved her for all these years and torture her like that? And now you plan on killing her?" Stefan said his eyes narrowing.

"She was invited in." Damon said coolly. "She is a threat to Elena."

_Elena realized her heartbeat had picked up and focused on calming herself. Damon.. this was Damon. He was being so protective of her and Stefan? Why was he protecting Katherine?She didn't like the tone in Stefan's voice when he spoke of her. It sounded almost heartsick. _

"As for the first part. I can't." Damon added after a moment.

"Can't what?" Stefan asked.

"Can't claim to have loved her for all those years. More of an obsession. What Katherine and I had was based on manipulations and lies. It wasn't real."

_I wanted it to be real, Damon's voice popped into Elena's head. She smiled softly despite the heightened emotions ripping through her heart._

"And you think with Elena it would be? You don't love Elena. Your a monster that is all you will ever be. She's not going to choose you and she's not going to love you. Because you and I both know you don't deserve her love." Stefan bellowed out.

Damon said nothing. He turned and ran from the house in frustration. Jeremy and Ashley huddled in the kitchen unsure of what to do.

* * *

"Stefan!" Elena yelled running down the stairs. "How could you say that to him?"

"Elena wait!" Stefan grabbing her arm to stop her. "You don't know half of what he's done."

"I know enough" Elena said firmly.

"Elena he is planning on killing Katherine."

"Yeah to save me. I heard." Elena said glaring into his eyes. She saw Jeremy stalk out of the kitchen ready for a fight when he saw that Stefan had her wrist.

"Let go." Elena said. "I need to go find him."

"Let go of my sister!" Jeremy yelled as he rushed Stefan. Stefan fell slightly backwards and let go of Elena's wrist.

"She can't go out there. Katherine's out there." Stefan said grimly.

Jeremy turned to Elena and nodded. "He's right. We can just call Damon."

"We can't his phone's upstairs." Elena sighed.

"He'll come back." Stefan murmured with an annoyed tone, "He's not going to stay away from you for very long."

"You don't understand what you _said _Stefan... wait a second did you say Katherine is back? How do you know?"

Stefan and Jeremy exchanged a worried look not sure what to tell her.

"It's fine. It's me." Elena said quietly. "Everything came back to me a little while ago."

"Elena it's really you? You remember me? That I didn't hurt you?" Stefan words all came out fast and jumbled.

"Yes." Elena said. "I'm sorry I reacted that way."

"It's okay. I'm just so glad your back!" Stefan said pulling her into a hug. Elena felt oddly awkward in his embrace. She pulled away and frowned.

"I heard everything Stefan." She said simply nodding to Jeremy and Ashley who took the cue and left the room.

"I'm really sorry." he said shaking his head. "I thought you left, I really did."

"Can I see the letter?" Elena asked.

He nodded and went to his room to get it for her. He was back in seconds.

"I wouldn't write this." Elena frowned. "You really thought I would just leave you with nothing but a dear John letter?"

"I did at first and then with Katherine in town I started to believe Damon. But Katherine was honest. I know when she's lying and she wasn't lying she had no idea where you were. I couldn't stand seeing Damon torture her." Stefan explained.

"You should have stopped a little sooner." Elena said wincing. "Why did you feed her?"

"She can be manipulative she started persuading me that you left just as she arrived as if it was fate. She convinced me it would be best to let you just go and be a normal teen. She said so many things...I tried to fight her. I didnt like to see her suffer so I fed her. But I was doing it hoping if she did know anything about you she would let it slip." He explained.

"Then you let her escape why?"

"Bonnie." Stefan said. "She had a vision of you happy and living with some friends somewhere. Everything Katherine had said made sense. I was lost and hurt and she was like a beacon to put all that emotion into. I decided to do it. To give in to who I am and be with her. I just couldnt fight her anymore. I was to weakened. So I saved her and then she left me. She nearly drained me and left me."

Elena's eyes widened. "Stefan. You still love her."

"I love you." He said firmly.

"You love her too." She said holding her hand up to stop him from interjecting. "It's okay. I understand on some level."

"I love you, I turned to her because I was alone and hurting. Not because I loved her." Stefan said wringing his hands.

"You gave up on me." Elena said sadly. "I never gave up on you when you were on human blood. I was really scared. I never told you that. It broke my heart when you refused to eat after we detoxified you. When you sat their buried in the past you didn't even see me.I was fighting so hard for you. I saved your life. But yet you doubted me. . I wouldn't have done that. I would have never left town with Jer in trouble either. Come on Stef. You're supposed to know me."

"I don't know what to say. When Katherine was back I admit I started to lose myself in her again. I don't know why. I tried to keep believing it was a lie but when Bonnie came over and .."

"I don't want to hear that name spoken in my presence at any time in the near future if you don't mind." Elena snapped suddenly.

"What _why_?" Stefan asked shocked.

"We'll talk about that later." She replied curtly.

"Stefan that night when I came to you with your ring. When you first looked at me which one of us did you see?" Elena asked instead bringing the subject back. She needed to do this and she needed to do it now.

"Elena I was so depressed and stuck inside my head. I don't even remember that night to clearly." Stefan said his eyes shifting downwards slightly giving Elena her answer.

"I just.. It's been a year." Elena said shaking her head. "But during that time despite everything I have grown up a lot. I have learned a lot about myself and the things I want. Our relationship was wonderful at one point. But I don't think we can go back now."

"Elena what are you _saying?_" Stefan said looking alarmed. "I am so sorry about how I handled things when you left and how I acted when I was on human blood. But it isn't some deep urge inside me."

"Stefan your eyes." Elena sighed. "I know your on human blood again. That's why I was so scared of you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your eyes get this dangerous glimmer to them when you're on human blood. Its barley noticeable but I remembered it because it freaked me out that night. Well you know." Elena explained.

"I was in a lot of pain I needed to shut it off." He muttered.

"How are you handling being in here with two humans?" Elena asked.

"I'm fine. Its under control." he said curtly.

"You accused me of being in love with Katherine. I think I deserve some truths of my own." He said his eyes boring into hers.

She gulped "I really meant it when I told you I loved you that night on the phone. I swore to myself over and over again that Damon was just a friend. I convinced myself. But truthfully I started falling in love with him, and it was before you drank my blood. I don't know exactly when or how. I may have always loved him in a way. I think I'm his soulmate."

Stefan took a sharp breath and sped across the room as if not trusting himself to stand anywhere near her.

"He's a monster. What about the things he's done to your friends? To this town." He started.

"I'm not going to defend him." Elena said. "I won't apologize or make exucses for his behavior. But I do love him and he has done so much to try to prove himself worthy of me. He drove around for a almost a year searching for me Stefan."

"I will never accept it." Stefan said crossing the room he brushed her shoulder as he stomped past her. He stormed up to his room and slammed the door.

"That didn't go well." Elena sighed she wiped away a single tear. But felt an immediate closure come over her. She was surprised at how well she handled it and felt her anger at Katherine settle in to more of a guilty feeling. She had after all done the exact thing Katherine had done. Worse she _made _a choice. But she could never bring herself to regret the choice.

She realized she had kept parts of herself hidden from Stefan too. She had a wild, stubborn and somewhat reckless side that liked to be challenged and loved to be teased. Stefan was always so sweet but he didn't get under her skin like Damon did. he couldn't go from pissing her off to making her laugh in two seconds. He didn't stare at her in a way that just made the whole world disappear. She suddenly felt a feeling of a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She was free now to be with the man she loved.

She tiptoed out the door to find Damon and her mind and heart racing. She started walking towards the road hoping he was on his way back here and they would meet suddenly started feeling really nervous.

"What am I going to say?" She said out loud. "Hey Damon.. I got my memory back and I still love you."

She grimaced realizing how lame that sounded.

"Elena. Turn around and get back in that house now." A woman said emerging from the shadows in front of her.

"What the hell are you doing here you bitch!" Elena hissed her eyes narrowing.

* * *

_**AN: I hope you liked this chapter! It's my favorite so far. Sorry no delena yet. Gotta build up the angst.. lol. I know another evil cliffy. But I will update quick I promise. Please review!**_


	15. Scary truths

**Chapter 15: Scary truths**

"Elena. Turn around and get back in that house now." A woman said emerging from the shadows in front of her.

"What the hell are you doing here you bitch!" Elena hissed her eyes narrowing.

"Right now I'm saving your ass little girl. I suggest you listen to me."

"Why should I?" Elena huffed crossing her arms against her chest. She felt a breeze and realized she only wearing a thin tank top and flannel pajama pants.

"Must you be incorrigible right now? I have reason to believe Katherine is on her way here. Seeing you here would be very very bad."

"What do you care _Isobel_?" Elena snapped. "You have no redeeming qualities remember?"

"I care enough to protect you from her." Isobel said shuddering slightly. "What Damon did to her really pissed her off. He really messed things up. I had everything under control you were safe. All Katherine cared about was that you were not with _them_. She was going to leave but Damon had to go and humiliate her. Elena she made it clear that as soon as Damon found you she was going to use you to torture him."

"Why?" Elena croaked.

"Because Katherine knows your his mate. Hurting him wouldn't be torture enough. Their is no greater pain then an eternity without your mate." Isobel replied with a curious expression on her face."I should have figured he would find you."

"I found him." Elena said softly she looked at Isobel and saw a flash of emotions pass her face and then leave. Her cool facade perfectly back in place.

"But you didn't figure on my memory returning?" Elena said icily. "How could you do it?"

"I didn't do it." Isobel smirked. "Your best friend did."

"You were behind it somehow. Did you compel her?" Elena asked hoping she did.

"No." Isobel said honestly. "It was an offer she couldn't refuse. A vampire free town."

Elena shot her a confused look.

"If you were gone. Katherine promised she would leave most of the town relatively unharmed. Finish her business here quickly and the Salvatore brothers would both eventually just take off without you there. Plus you were safe from Katherine." Isobel explained.

"That was a stupid plan." Elena said. "You should have told us what was going on. We could have found a way to stop her. Playing her games just isn't acceptable to me."

"I did what I thought was best."

"You had Bonnie put a spell on me that erased my whole life, stole my identity, and all my memories. Like the ones I had with my _real_ mom." Elena spat out.

"Enough with the dramatics." Isobel said. "Just get back in the house. I'll go get Damon for you."

"No. You won't really do it." Elena said doubtfully.

"I'll do this for you okay?" Isobel groaned. "Besides he needs to know what's going on so he can protect you."

"Fine." Elena said."You better bring him back here."

"One condition," Isobel said, "and I will never interfere with your relationship with him despite my reservations."

"What is it?" Elena asked sharply.

"Invite me into your house." Isobel said. "I will be around watching. If I need to get in to protect you I'm not going to have time to knock."

"Fine" Elena groaned.

* * *

She entered the house slowly other then the faint sounds of Jer's TV down stairs the house was quiet. She decided to wait for Damon and Isobel in the living room and sat down on the couch. Just staring into space. Trying to decide what to say to Damon when she saw him.

She heard Jeremy and Ashley come up and smiled gratefully at them.

"You left the house Elena?" Jeremy accused.

"Hey I'm the older sibling here remember?" Elena teased.

"We were thinking about making some margaritas." Ashley chirped. "Jeremy bought some mix at the store today."

"I could definitely use a drink right now." Elena agreed.

They were each sipping on a glass shortly after in the kitchen as Elena described her encounter with Isobel.

"At least she's on our side as far as wanting you alive goes." Jeremy said half heartily.

"On top of everything else a vampire mother?" Ashley said sympathetically patting Elena's shoulder. She got up to refill her glass and dropped it shattering it across the floor.

"Crap" she said bending down to pick up the pieces.

"Don't.." Elena warned to late Ashley cut her hand.

Jeremy vamped out instantly.

"Jer no." Elena said firmly looking into his eyes. He pulled his gaze away and back to Ashley who was desperately trying to wipe the blood off her hand.

"It's okay Jeremy your not going to hurt me." Ashley said. "Just go outside regain control. Your okay. You can handle this."

Elena saw Jeremy's eyes flicker a bit.

"Go Jer." Elena said opening the door. "Go. Your good. You wont hurt her. You won't"

He turned to look into Elena's eyes. Encouraging and strong she believed in him. He avoided looking at Ashley and ran out the door. Elena watched him run to the woods and sighed hoping he would be okay.

* * *

Damon sat at the bar trying to drown his sorrows but it was impossible. Hearing the words out loud just hit to hard. He didn't know how much longer pretending she was his was going to work for him. He was going crazy being this opened up and not knowing what was going to happen. Who she was going to choose in the end. Truth be told Damon hated the idea of history repeating just as much as Stefan did. Maybe more because most of the time Katherine had always picked Stefan. He was really scared Elena was going to do so too.

"You really don't have time to brood right now."

"Isobel?" Damon growled. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Katherine's on her way here. I needed to warn you. I don't know if she's knows you have Elena with you or not... but if she does her plans involve her." Isobel explained quickly.

"What do you mean they involve her? Katherine better not hurt Elena. I won't allow it to happen." Damon said fiercely.

"She wants revenge on you and plans to use Elena to get in. She's been waiting for you to find her." Isobel said, hoping to avoid having to tell him about the failed deal she made in a failed attempt to spare Elena. She really didn't need a repeat of their last one on one meeting.

"If she's on her way here then she already knows." Damon said through gritted teeth.

Isobel just nodded slowly. "Elena's my daughter. I'm on your side."

"Did you drain a few people on your way into town?" Damon asked suddenly.

"Not my style. You know I travel with an associate. Why do you ask?"

"Could Katherine already be here?"

"Impossible. My contact saw her leave Paris an hour ago." Isobel said.

"Shit." Damon muttered as he hurried out of the bar and then ran in a blur towards the boarding house.

* * *

Elena turned around and wasn't even sure what happened because it happened so fast. One second Ashley was cleaning her wound and the next Stefan was feeding from her. Elena's back had only been turned for a few moments. She didn't even hear anything. She stared in horror at her best friends impassive face and knew Stefan had compelled her.

"Stefan no!" Elena said rushing behind him and pushing him as hard as she could.

He hurled her off of him and she flew backwards her head hitting the counter. She could feel the blood coming from the back of her head and freaked she she saw Stefan come stalking towards her. His expression unreadable. He was like a complete stranger.

"No!" She heard Jeremy shout and saw Stefan get thrown backwards. He was up in seconds and whirled Jeremy across the landed in broken heap on the floor.

Elena gasped at his power. "Jer.."

He had to have had a lot of human blood to do _that_, She wanted the thought to go away as fast as it came. But she had no time to think. He was coming for her. She grabbed a piece of the broken glass from the floor and scurried away before he could corner her.

"You think you can fight me off with a shard of glass?" Stefan laughed.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena manged to ask.

"Because I can. I'm tired of fighting it. I'm tired of feeling so I shut it off. I tried to keep in under control but the idea of you in my brothers bed was just to much so I hunted. It felt good to shut it all off again if only for a moment just until you came back to me. But you never did. Did you? You came back to only to betray me for my brother." Stefan said coming closer.

Elena tried to duck out of the way but felt his arms grab hers and pull her back she screamed as she felt his fangs pierce her neck roughly. He drank greedily she felt herself getting faint and whimpered.

She vaguely heard a noise and then the pulling draining feeling stopped and she slumped over against the counter falling to the floor. She heard a struggle but couldn't focus on what was happening. She felt her heartbeat slowing and she was so dizzy. She just wanted to rest her eyes and sleep for a while she was so tried.

"Damon she needs blood now. I'm giving her mine if your not here in..." Isobel didn't finish her statement before Elena felt herself being pulled into strong familiar arms.

She tasted the strong metallic taste of Damon's blood. She felt somewhat more alert. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't find the strength.

"Come on Elena." Damon saw saying softly. "I can't lose you. I need you to stay with me please."

Elena started pulling more blood from his wrist she felt her headache subside and some of her strength return. But she still felt so weak.

"I can't give her any more blood without turning her." Damon whispered pulling his wrist back gently and holding her tight.

"How is her heartbeat?"

"To slow." Damon muttered. "My blood healed the concussion and replaced some of her blood. But that bastard took so much. Go find me something I can give her blood with. Look in the study."

Isobel nodded and raced out of the room.

"Please Elena. I love you more then you will ever be able to understand. I need you to fight okay? I know you love to do that. I need you to do that for me now...I need you so much." Damon whispered cradling her body in his arms looking stricken.

"I love you Damon." Elena whispered faintly.

"Don't waste your strength just fight okay?" He said stroking her cheek.

"Not a waste.." She whispered her breaths uneven. "I remember you.. everything..I chose you."

"Stop it Elena!" Damon cried. "Don't say goodbye. Tell me that when your okay."

Isobel rushed into the room with an empty vervain dart. "Go get me blood bags at least three"

Jeremy flew down the stairs in a blur ignoring his still aching legs.

Damon carefully injected the blood filled dart into Elena's vein. Slowly after he had given her all three bags her heartbeat steadied and her color returned. He carried her up to his bed to sleep. He started at her complete relief overtaking the million other emotions running through his heart. She almost died. Damon knew now a life without her in it wasn't worth living. He couldn't go back to who he was before.

She chose me, he thought then, softly touching her cheek.

"Stay with me." Elena whispered.

"Where else would I want to be." he said getting into bed next to her and pulling her body close to his.

"Don't ever let go." She whispered.

"I love you, Elena. I will never let go as long as you don't want me to."

* * *

_**I'm sorry to the Stefan fans but I really wanted to do a dark Stefan in this story. Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! It was a dark and heavy chapter but I hope you enjoyed it. **_


	16. Yours

**Chapter 16: Yours **

**Rewind from Stefan's point of view: **

Stefan sat in his room fuming over Elena's choice to be with Damon. He read the fake letter again and ripped it up throwing the pieces on the floor.

He picked up his picture of Katherine and almost threw it but stopped himself. He grimaced remembering how she had left him. If she would have just taken him with her this wouldn't be happening right now. He wouldn't have to care that Elena and Damon were together. Now he was supposed to live in the same house with them?

He started pacing back and forth His anger mounting as he thought about all the times Damon had bantered with Elena in front of him. How she would get so angry at him but he could sense the passion on her eyes. He tried so hard to ignore it. He should have killed Damon a long time ago. Stefan admonished himself for not doing so when he had the chance.

The scent of blood suddenly hit him hard. He listened and slowly walked to the source of the blood. Elena's snotty little friend was hurt.

He heard Jeremy leave the house and acted fast. He started at Ashley's eyes

_You don't know what's happening.. you won't remember you wont fight or scream.. _he thought hard at her.

He bit quickly and the feelings everything but the anger disappeared instantly as the taste of sweet blood hit his mouth.

"Stefan no!" Elena screamed hurling her body at him.

He bucked her off him and heard her head crack as it hit the counter. He smelled a new more intoxicating scent.

_Elena's_ blood, he thought slowly sauntering over to her.

Jeremy suddenly crashed into Stefan making him lose his balance. Stupid baby vampire, Stefan thought whipping Jeremy across the kitchen.

He almost laughed out loud at Elena who was crouched and holding a piece of glass.

"You think you can fight me off with a shard of glass?" Stefan laughed.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked her voice cracking.

Stupid whore has to even ask? Stefan thought angrily.

"Because I can. I'm tired of fighting it. I'm tired of feeling so I shut it off. I tried to keep in under control but the idea of you in my brothers bed was just too much so I hunted. It felt good to shut it all off again if only for a moment just until you came back to me. But you never did. Did you? You came back to only to betray me for my brother." Stefan said coming closer to his prize.

She tried to duck away from him but he caught her easily. He bit hard and fast not even caring if he spilled a little. He wanted this to hurt. He wanted her to hurt as much as he she had made him hurt. He started pulling her blood quickly knowing he was draining her. It would be easier to forget her betrayal with her gone. He decided.

He heard the front door fly open and felt himself being pulled of off Elena and hurled against the wall.

"Well hello Damon." Stefan said smugly smiling widely so Damon could see his mouth which was full of Elena's blood.

"I'll kill you you son of a bitch!" Damon said punching Stefan hard in the face.

Stefan used his power and pushed Damon back he landed against the stove and fell down. Stefan loomed over him and pushed Isobel backwards instantly when she hurled herself at him.

He looked down to Elena's crumpled and weak body and smiled a bloody smile at Damon again.

Damon suddenly ripped one of the cupboards off and rushed before Stefan had a chance to dodge he felt the corner of the cupboard pierce him deeply close to his heart. He grunted and fell back against the wall unable to move.

"I'm going to rip your head off" Damon growled at Stefan in full vampire mode.

"Damon" Isobel called "She needs blood now..Damon was gone over to Elena in seconds.

Stefan watched him pick her up and start feeding her blood. His eyes were so desperate. He glared at the two of them. He slowly managed to leave the house. He crawled into the woods and started working on pulling the large chunk of wood out of his chest.

He realized he was going to need to find somewhere to regain his strength and he was going to have to hunt in town. Hopefully Bonnie would just think it was Damon. He didn't understand how Damon had so much strength. He couldn't have possibly have had more blood in his system then Stefan.

"I love you Damon." He heard Elena say his ears still in tune to her voice.

He felt his anger rise again and used the adrenaline to finally mange to get the large chunk of cupboard out of his chest. Hurling over in pain.

"I remember you.. everything.. I chose you" Elena was saying.

"You chose _your_ death." Stefan whispered angrily.

* * *

Ashley was sitting at the kitchen table sipping with the bottle of tequila from earlier. She was still a little freaked out and needed to numb herself a bit. Jeremy was standing at that counter and Isobel had decided to clean up the remaining glass and blood in the kitchen.

"You see kid if you just keep a few associates around to give you blood you never have to worry about an accident like this freaking you out. I have one for traveling, one for just everyday and two for weekend parties and what not." Isobel was explaining to Jeremy her ways of living.

"There are human beings we are talking about" Jeremy said rolling his eyes.

"I know that. I treat them well and pay them well. I never take too much blood." She replied curtly.

"But you compel them." He interjected. "So they don't really know what they are agreeing to."

"Not true." Isobel frowned and Ashley noticed she looked like Elena a little when she did that. "I only compel before when I drink from them. Only because I prefer to keep it professional and not have them start developing any type of attachments to me."

"Why would they develop an attachment to you?" Ashley asked curiously.

"Having your blood taken willingly is a different experience then what just happened here. It can actually be incredibly pleasurable and humans tend to confuse feelings of pleasure for love." She grimaced at the idea of any of her donors becoming attached to her.

"I don't remember what happened it's like this blank spot in my memory one minute I was calming Jeremy down and cleaning my hand and the next thing I knew Elena was screaming. Then everything just happened so fast." Ashley murmured."I would rather have remembered what happened. You don't realize how valuable and important your memories are."

"Even if the horrible ones?" Isobel interjected. "Having your blood taken by force is a completely different and painful experience."

"How can one move on from a traumatic event if they don't recall what actually happened?" Ashley countered.

"Who cares about moving on and dealing with things?" Isobel scoffed. "The advantage of being a vampire is you don't _have_ to think about yesterday."

"That's not true." Jeremy interjected. "I haven't been able to shut my feelings off. I've tried but it doesn't work."

"That's because you never learned to hunt." Isobel pointed out. "You only drink out of those bags. Damon is a much different sire with you then he was with me. He's going somewhat soft actually."

"I disagree. Having someone to fight for will always make you stronger then the person who has nothing." Jeremy said thoughtfully. "You know that's true Isobel or you wouldn't be here protecting Elena. Seems you don't always just 'forget' about yesterday either."

"I just don't want her dead." Isobel replied curtly. "I'm tiring of this conversation now and I do need to feed after cleaning all this blood. I'm going to head back to my hotel for the night."

"What if Stefan comes back?" Jeremy asked looking nervous.

"Damon nearly killed him. It will take him some days to heal properly." Isobel remarked as she quickly left.

"Are_ you _okay?" Jeremy asked sitting down next to Ashley.

"Yeah. I'm just a little nervous about Stefan. He can come in here whenever he wants." Ashley shuddered.

"I have a vervain bracelet I want you to wear. He won't be able to compel you with it on." Jeremy explained hurrying down stairs and came back with his old bracelet.

"Thanks." She said slipping it on her slender wrist. "So... _you_ came back in here with all the blood everywhere and your only thought was saving your sister."

"And you.." he added.

"Right." She flushed slightly. "My point is that you were able to handle your blood lust. That's a huge step for you."

"Seeing that scene and knowing the people in it did something to me. I don't ever want to be like that. I don't ever want to be a monster like that." Jeremy said shaking his head. "I'm not going to become an idiot and deny what I am like Stefan did for so many years. But I am going to fight everyday to control myself." Jeremy resolved looking into her eyes.

"We cannot forget that I did almost hurt you tonight." He added.

"Your right." She agreed. "But we also can't forget that you didn't."

"Fair enough," he said giving up.

She smiled and leaned in a little. Jeremy only hesitated for a second and then finally kissed her.

* * *

Elena woke up early the next morning. The sun was just starting to rise. She could feel Damon's strong arms around her and smiled as she recalled where she was. She frowned remembering what had happened with Stefan. How could he have done that to her? He seemed edgy but fine when she had talked to him earlier.

She looked at Damon's face. He looked so peaceful and serene when he was sleeping. She couldn't help but lightly trace his face with her fingertips.

"You realize waking a vampire at the crack of dawn is just cruel right?" Damon said peeking up at her.

"I didn't mean to wake you up." Elena shrugged.

"How you feeling?" Damon asked.

"Really good actually. I feel like I could run a marathon right now." She replied.

"You have a lot of my blood in your system. It will do that." Damon said.

"What happened after? Did you kill him?" She asked.

"No. Almost but you needed me." He said. "He won't be so lucky the next time I see him."

"You _can't_ kill him." Elena augured.

"What!" Damon exclaimed. "He almost killed you. He doesn't get to live."

"It's still Stefan." Elena augured. "He's your brother."

"The high and mighty brother that I have hated for years. He almost killed you Elena. He accepted his fate. He knows what the price is for that." Damon replied.

"That wasn't _Stefan_." Elena said sadly.

"Yes it was Elena." Damon said. "You forget I've known him for over a hundred years more then you. That was Stefan on human blood which is the choice he has made now. He looked at your crumpled body on the floor and _smiled_ Elena.. he wanted to kill you."

She shuddered. "But if we can get him off the human blood again.."

"We can't." Damon shook his head. "His mind is set. When a vampire shuts off their feelings they don't shut of anger. It's a primal instinct we have. He is angry with you and I right now. That anger has intensified. He wants to kill you and he wont stop until he succeeds. I have no other choice here."

"But.." Elena tried to come up with something but she couldn't."I hate this.."

"I know." Damon said. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She replied.

"I should have been there. I definitely should have known Stefan was on_ human blood_. How could I miss _that_?" Damon said frustrated.

"Don't blame yourself for this. " Elena replied. "You had no idea this was going to happen. I should have known actually. I ignored the danger. I knew he was on human blood. I didn't realize how much or how far gone he actually was.. but I knew his eyes are different when he's on human blood. Despite knowing that I broke up with him. I felt like I had to end things with him right away that it was better not to drag it out or lead him on. _I _sent him over the edge."

"Why didn't you come to me first?" Damon asked. "I could have been there in case something happened. I'm not going to lie to you that wasn't very smart."

"They wouldn't let me leave because of Katherine. I was pissed at Stefan over what he said to you and what I overheard about him helping Katherine. Everything I had been wanting to say but buried inside just came out." She shrugged.

"Well what's done is done." He shrugged back. "I don't want to do this but I don't see what other choice I have."

"But only if he comes after me?" Elena begged. "Only if their really is no other choice. There is still a possibility that he might just take off and leave us alone."

"We'll see." Damon muttered. He didn't believe for a second that Stefan was going to give up and leave. With Katherine on her way back here this wasn't a good situation at all.

"You still care about him?" Damon had to ask avoiding her eyes.

"A part of me." She answered honestly. "But I could never forgive him for _that_.."

"But you don't want him dead."

"Neither do _you_" Elena said. "What happens to us if you have to kill your brother for me? You might end up resenting me for it someday"

"Is that what your afraid of?" Damon said looking into her eyes his walls down. "I could never resent you. You're mine now. That means I have to protect you. Killing any threat to you is a basic instinct for me Elena. "

She sat quietly for a moment staring into his eyes.

"I am." She said suddenly with a slight smirk.

"You are what?" He said confused.

"Yours" She said simply putting her arms around his neck and pulling his lips towards her. He didn't hesitate this time he kissed her passionately and she responded eagerly.

"Say it again" He whispered huskily into her ear sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm all yours" She said feeling his arms tighten around her as he kissed her roughly as if to claim her.

She wrapped her legs around him and pulled his body into hers. He groaned loudly.

"Tell me you love me." Elena said running her hands down his back.

"I love you Elena." He said staring into her eyes with such intensity she felt her whole body start to shiver with excitement.

"Make love to me." She said her eyes peeking lustfully at him from behind her thick eyelashes.

"Your wish is my command." He said smirking slightly before raining his mouth down on hers again.

* * *

_**AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! I hope you liked this chapter. Please review!**_


	17. Face off part 1

**Chapter 17: Face off part 1 **

Jeremy woke up early and headed outside his vampire hearing picking up noises from upstairs that he didn't want to place. He wondered how Ashley could sleep across the hall but realized her ears went as sensitive as his. But she was sensitive whether she would admit it or not. She was also fragile. He would have to fight every day to avoid hurting her. He didn't know if he could handle it but he had been alone for so long now, He didn't think he would be able to stay away from her either.

His phone rang and he sighed in relief to see Alaric's number appear.

"Tell me your back." Jeremy answered right away.

"I am. The cruise got cut short because of a tropical storm. _Why?_ What is going on?"

"Long story or short one?"

"Short please. I'm jet lagged."

"Damon and Elena are back. She found him but her memory was gone. We brought her back and eventually she got her memory back and broke up with Stefan. He tried to kill her and her friend in the kitchen. Damon stopped him but he got away. He's on human blood again."

"Obliviously" Alaric said.

"Oh and Katherine's on her way here I guess. Isobel came back to warn Elena and Damon."

"Isobel is here?" Alaric said. "Stefan's gone crazy, and Katherine is on her way?"

"Yup." Jeremy said.

"I'll start getting the vervain darts ready." Alaric sighed "Then I'll be over."

"I'll let Damon know.. oh and bring Jenna to your place. Katherine's been invited into ours remember?"

"Right." Alaric muttered hanging up.

Jeremy sat thoughtfully wondering how they were going to handle both a crazed Stefan and Katherine.

"Penny for your thoughts?' Ashley said coming outside to sit next to him.

"You should be in the house." Jeremy countered.

"That Katherine chick couldn't be here yet and Stefan needs tome to recover." She said putting her head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe how well you are handling all of this." He said.

"I adapt easily." She replied with a smile. He loved the ways her lips looked when they curled upwards.

"I regretted my decision to change until now. Now I'm glad I may be young but I'm a better help to Elena like this then I would be as a human."

"Tell me how you changed." She asked.

"It's a long story, We don't have the time." He answered.

"The way they are going at it up there we have plenty of time." She smirked.

"Okay gross." Jeremy said.

"Come on tell me what happened." Ashley begged.

"I.. was miserable. I had been for a long time. My parents died and a part of me died with them. I fell in love with this wild carefree girl Vicki. But Damon turned her one night. She attacked me and Elena and Stefan killed her. Damon erased my memories so I didn't know what had happened to her until much later. By that time I had met Anna a vampire. My feelings for her developed slowly I still loved Vicki. But eventually I fell in love with Anna. As soon as I did My uncle killed her. But I still had a vial of her blood. I didn't want to feel the pain so I turned myself." He explained feeling a slight weight of his shoulders finally talking about it.

"But it didn't work you were still hurting?" Ashley asked.

"Yes." He replied.

"You can't shut off the pain. Because if you do you lose the good stuff too." She said quietly stroking his cheek.

"I'm starting to figure that out." He said softly. "When I met you. You kind of reminded me of Vicki and I didn't want to go through that pain again."

"I understand that." Ashley replied. "I have been hurt before. Hurt badly. I lashed out. I took the wrong road for a while and I hurt someone that really mattered to me when I did that. But I came to a place in my life when I realized that you can't change the past. You have to live for the moment because you never know when it's your last."

He started into her blue eyes for moment and kissed her tenderly.

"Why don't we go get something to eat?" he said. "Like you said Katherine won't be around yet and Stefan is probably in hiding recovering somewhere. No one knows who you are around here anyway."

"Sure." She said. "Leave the lovebirds alone for awhile..."

"Do I _have _to keep reminding you she's my sister.." Jeremy groaned as the walked to his car.

* * *

Damon and Elena were lying in his bed in a tangled heap both glowing after hours of love making. Elena was curled under his arm like she belonged there and Damon slowly stoked her hair. Savoring this private moment he had longed for, for so long.

"You are amazing." Elena murmured.

"Are you supirsed?" Damon teased.

"No..I knew you would be." She replied smiling.

"So you thought about it.."

"All the time." She admitted flushing slightly.

"I did to." He said kissing her forehead. "I didn't imagine it would be the best I'd ever had though."

"Really?" She said peering up at him.

"Mm" He murmured kissing her exposed neck sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm addicted to you already." he murmured into her neck.

He heard someone banging on the door and grumbled.

"It's probably Isobel just ignore it." Elena whispered kissing his shoulder.

The banging grew louder.

Damon groaned as he forced himself to separate his body from hers.

"Stay there and stay naked." He commanded pulling on his sweat pants to go get the door. He could probably snap the annoying intruders neck right now he was so annoyed, he thought as he hurried downstairs and flung open the door.

"What do you want?" He said facing an angry looking Bonnie.

"What do I want?" She exclaimed. "I should have guessed. Two bodies outside town and then a body is found right outside the grill. And look _who's_ back in Mystic Falls.." She trailed off gesturing to Damon. An annoying self righteous smirk plastered across her face.

"It wasn't me." Damon said. "It was Stefan."

"Yeah _right_!" Bonnie scoffed. "You were seen at the grill last night."

"Are you watching me now?" Damon asked crossing her his arms.

"I am watching my town." She said crossing her own arms.

"Well you suck at it." Damon replied.

"Apparently so since I allowed you to come here and spill blood. But it ends now." Bonnie thundered angrily.

"Again.. _wasn't_ me" he held his arm out. "Touch me you will see how long its been since I've hunted anyone."

She touched his arm and closed her eyes in concentration and then scowled seeing he was telling the truth.

"So as I was saying you suck at protecting your town or you would have known Stefan had regressed. It was him the bodies outside town. The body at the bar probably happened sometime after I saved Elena from him."

"What _Elena _is here?" Bonnie asked looking nervous all the sudden.

"Yes." Damon replied. "It's a long and really_ romantic _story. I know you probably don't want the details seeing as how your a spinster witch and it will just make you jealous...but.."

"Shut up Damon." Bonnie snapped. "How could you bring her back here? Is that what caused Stefan to fly off the handle? Let me guess you're taking advantage of her memory being gone and compelled her to love you or something"

"How did you know her memory was gone?" Damon asked suspiciously.

He heard Elena come up behind him. She attempted to push him out of the way. He stayed still and laughed a little at her thinking she could actually move him. She turned to look at him. He was about to crack a joke when he noticed Elena's pursed lips and angry expression. He moved out of the way and watched open mouthed as Elena faced Bonnie.

"Elena.." Bonnie said awkwardly.

"You bitch." Elena spat out slapping her across the face.

Bonnie's head snapped to the side and her eyes widened in shock. "How dare you slap me."

"You stole my memories!" Elena thundered pushing Bonnie to the ground. She fell on top her in the process and Bonnie grabbed at her hair.

"What the hell is going on?" Alaric called rushing up to the porch.

"Cat fight" Damon said with a smirk plastered across his face.

Alaric rolled his eyes and pulled Elena off Bonnie. He put himself between the girls.

"Pull yourselves together!" He commanded his students.

Elena huffed angrily but calmed down still glaring at Bonnie who looked a little shocked but anger seeped from her eyes as well.

"Ah.. Ric." Damon groaned. "Why did you have to go and stop it."

* * *

_**Part two of the Bonnie/Elena face off should be up no later then tomorrow evening. Sorry to leave you with a cliffy. Please review!**_


	18. Face off part two

**Chapter 18: Face off part two **

Bonnie and Elena stood there fuming at one another with Alaric standing in between them.

"Please tell me they are not fighting over you." He groaned to Damon.

"Are you kidding?" Bonnie spat out. "As _if_."

"Just what is that supposed to mean, Bonnie?" Elena asked.

"It's pretty clear _Elena_. I wouldn't fight with anyone over a disgusting, blood sucking, womanizing, ass like Damon."

"Still in the room..." Damon muttered.

"Don't talk about Damon like that!" Elena exploded ducking around Alaric to hit Bonnie knocking her to the ground. Bonnie stood up angrily holding the cheek Elena just hit.

"You bitch!" Bonnie snapped. "Why are you defending him anyway. All I am doing is laying out the truth for you." Bonnie shoved Elena backwards and Elena lunged forward landing on top of her again.

"Damon.. a little help here?" Alaric said attempting to pull Elena off as she tried to elbow him away.

"Why should I help?" Damon asked raising an eyebrow. "My girl is winning."

"Why do you look proud?" Alaric said rolling his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I?" He retorted a beaming smile on his face.

Bonnie suddenly rolled over Elena getting the upper hand. Elena ducked her first few punches and kicked her off. They stood opposite one another facing off each prepared for the other one to lunge.

"I'm sure we can resolve this with words. You two were best freinds not long ago..." Alaric said trying to reason with them.

"Their are no words that traitor can say that will make up for what she did." Elena hissed.

"I was protecting my town." Bonnie snapped. "You are so self centered Elena.. just like Damon maybe the two of you are made for each other."

"Whoa.. slow down there a second Tabitha. " Damon suddenly intervened. "Yes, Elena and I are made for each other and yes I am a very self centered person. But _Elena_.. come on. She is not self centered." He rolled his eyes at her ridiculous statement. Elena shot him a thank you look and turned back to Bonnie.

"Bonnie.. you stole my life from me. All my memories..not just of Damon and Stefan but of my family and friends. My _parents_ Bonnie. If it is selfish of me to hate you for that then so be it. But what you did is unforgivable." Elena said her angry face starting to falter a bit as her eyes saddened.

"I didn't have much choice. This was a chance to save this town. Not one person but the whole town. I was given a chance to rid this town of vampires. I am sorry that I had to put the lives of so many over yours Elena. But these are the choices I have to make." Bonnie said her cold expression not faltering.

"How well did that work out for you?" Damon asked.

"Fine until you returned." She replied flatly.

"Really Bonnie?" Damon countered. "Because Stefan, Jeremy and I all still live here. Isobel is in town. And once Katherine's plane arrives from Paris the gangs all here."

"Because you are here." She repeated. "With Elena.. Elena your a vampire magnet. The town was better off without you in it and so were you."

"That's bullshit!" Elena exclaimed. "Do you have any idea what it is like to go through life not knowing who you are? Not having any moments to recall? Feeling lost and confused all the time. Being away from the people you love. I was _not_ better off."

"Maybe you were.. look who's company you're keeping now that your back." She shot back glaring at Damon. "And look at what it did to Stefan."

"Stefan is responsible for his own actions. Just as you are." Elena replied crossing her arms. "As far as the company I'm keeping goes..He happened to be the only thing I could remember when I was so lost. Without his memory driving me I don't know if I would have made it."

"I did the locator spell. I saw you were happy with friends in a nice house.." Bonnie countered.

"I was very lucky to find some really good people that took care of me. Yes I found a job. I hung out with my friends. I went through the motions of a normal life as best as I could. But I was never happy Bonnie." Elena explained tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Okay look we are getting no where here." Alaric attempted to cool things down again.

"Your right," Elena said quickly. "Leave Bonnie and don't come back."

"I'm not going anywhere. According to your _boyfriend_.." Bonnie said crinkling her nose. "All the vampires are back so I need to stop them."

"There is no way I trust you enough to work with you now." Damon said shaking his head.

"_All_ the vampires." Bonnie said her eyes going blank as Damon grimaced over in pain.

"Stop it Bonnie!" Elena yelled hurling her body at her only to be thrown off by the force emanating from Bonnie's body.

"Bonnie..Enough!" Alaric yelled. "There are bigger threats then Damon and we need Damon to stop them!"

"Fine." Bonnie said crisply er eyes going back to normal.

Damon dropped to the floor holding his head looking furious as the spell wore off.

"Damon!" Elena kneeled down by him and glared at her former best friend. "He didn't do anything! He followed your rules."

"That was just a warning." Bonnie said. "Damon isn't running the show here and neither are you. I won't let Katherine or anyone else tear this town apart."

"So here's how I see it. You two and Jeremy have a choice, You can work with me to rid the town of Katherine, Stefan and Isobel and then the three of you leave my town" Bonnie said her voice emotionless as she laid out her deal. "Or you refuse to work with me and I turn Damon and Stefan and everything else I know over to the council and watch the sparks fly."

Damon glared angrily at her. "Why? It would be a mass murder and you know it!"

"Not necessarily. I know things. I have Emily's grimoire remember? Working with the council is a sure fire way to rid the town of vampires. Just messier and I don't like that. I would rather keep my original deal with you as you have complied so far. All I ask of you is to help me and leave. Which you would probably need to do soon anyway." Bonnie explained.

Damon considered his options as much as he wanted to snap Bonnie's neck he could use her powers against Katherine. She was right leaving town was something they were going to need to do soon anyway.

"No deal." Elena spoke for him and he shot her a curious look but sat quietly and let her continue.

"Not your call." Bonnie replied.

"It is if my _mo_.. ..Isobel is involved." Elena sighed. "She hasn't hurt anybody here and she came to help us."

"Last time she was here." Bonnie warned. "She kidnapped your brother remember?"

"But she didn't hurt him." Elena replied. "Besides that wasn't the last time she was here. The last time she was here she made a deal with you to erase my memory and you readily accepted her offer."

"I was mad at you that night." Bonnie muttered. "I saw you kissing Damon on the porch. "

"What?" Elena exclaimed. "You erased my memories because you were mad at me for kissing for Damon?"

"Fyi.. it wasn't her" Damon whispered.

Bonnie shot him a confused look and glanced back Elena. "That is not why though. I told you why. But that is why I may have appeared _eager_..."A flash of guilt shot through her eyes.

"How did your memory come back anyway?" Bonnie asked surprised her spell didn't hold. She knew it was a risk doing s spell like that. She had read that small pieces of the memory could start to emerge over years but not as fast as Elena had retained her memory.

"I guess your not as good as you thought were." Elena replied. "I'm sure your pretty disappointed that your little deal didn't pan out for you."

"So Damon." Bonnie asked ignoring Elena completely. "Do we have a deal?"

"No." he replied. "Take Isobel's name off the kill list and we'll talk."

"The whole thing was her idea Elena. Why are you protecting her?" Bonnie asked.

"I don't want you to die either for the record. I don't want anyone to die. But Stefan is really far gone and Katherine is just evil. _Isobel_... I won't ever forgive her for what she did. But the choices she made have a direct result on that. She flipped her switch off a long time ago. She simply doesn't feel. You do Bonnie. You understood what you were taking from me where she really didn't." Elena said thoughtfully.

"Always making excuses for the vampires." Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"She's my _mother_." Elena said firmly.

"If she says she is here to help I believe she is." Alaric added.

"Fine. As long as she helps us." Bonnie groaned. "So deal?"

"If my conditions are met." Damon replied.

"I'm afraid to ask?" Bonnie sighed.

"I want to know everything you have got planned and when. No secret witchy stuff going on behind our backs. You follow my orders because I know what I'm doing here and you don't. You are not ever to mess with Elena's mind again. And if you do that crippling head pain thing to me again I will go on a blood spree just to spite you. "

"Fine." Bonnie said . "My only conditions remain the same. The town is not hunted and you leave as soon as this is over."

"Are you okay with that?" Damon asked Elena softly.

"As long as we can visit." Elena sighed. "I'm okay with that."

"Deal." Damon said.

"Good." Bonnie said crisply. "I'm going to go to my house and get some supplies and I will be back to discuss the plan."

"Fine." Damon grumbled. "Just go."

"Fine." Bonnie said.

"Bonnie?" Elena called.

Bonnie turned around. "Yes?"

"Just so we're clear. Our freindship is over." Elena said spinning around and going back upstairs.

Bonnie just swallowed hard and nodded turning to walk to her car.

* * *

Jeremy and Ashley were hanging out in the park after having lunch at the grill together.

"You know this is my first _real_ date." Jeremy said thoughtfully. "I've never done the traditional dating thing."

"Neither have I." Ashley said pumping her legs on the swing. "It's kind of fun."

"It is." Jeremy nodded. "I always fell so fast and so hard before. I like the idea of taking it slow."

"Even if it's just because of blood lust?" Ashley teased. He laughed and started pushing her on the swing.

"You know in the traditional dating world a guy usually has to wait about three months to get some." Ashley pointed out.

"Three months?" Jeremy scoffed. "That's nothing."

"Oh really?" She said swinging around and wrapping her legs around him. She kissed him passionately. Then unwrapped herself and jumped off the swing.

"Yeah your right three months... no biggie." She laughed.

He ran after her and tacked her to the ground tickling her.

"Seriously though." he said sitting up. "It could be longer then that before I'm able to control the blood lust enough to.."

"I know." She said her face honest. "I'm willing to wait. I just want to be around you and see where things go."

"You kind of sound like the guy right now." Jeremy laughed.

"That makes you the girl then." She teased back ruffling his hair.

"No I'm the dangerous vampire remember?" he said winking at her.

"Right.." She teased."So dangerous."

"I can't stay in one place for to long. I'll be leaving her soon." Jeremy said. "You have to understand my lifestyle isn't an easy one."

"Trust me Jeremy moving around a lot it what I do. It would be normal for me." She said.

"Yeah.. but did you _want _to get shipped off from place to place your whole life? Or did you want a place to call a home and build roots? I don't want you to give anything up for me."

"How did you know about that? Oh right the vampire hearing." She said suddenly trying to recall everything she and Elena had ever talked about in the house with Jeremy and Damon there. No wonder why Elena always talked in such a hushed voice.

"I try not to listen in." He said. "I'm so sorry. I just heard Elena crying so I tuned in to see if she was all right.."

"It's okay." Ashley said. "I'm glad you know. It's hard for me to bring up and I know you understand. You lost both your parents. I can't even imagine..._both_."

"So did you in many ways." Jeremy murmured.

"I suppose your right." She said as he pulled her to her feet.

"I really miss my mom sometimes and I wish I could call him and reminisce but he doesn't even recognize his own daughters voice anymore." She said suddenly and cried softly into Jeremy's sweater.

"I know." He said softly holding her tightly.

"We should head back before Elena starts worrying" Ashley said pulling away and wiping her eyes.

"Sure." Jeremy said taking her hand.

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Ashley you don't have to thank me for caring about you." Jeremy said smiling back at her as he lead her to his car.

"Young love. So touching. Brings back fond memories." Elena said walking up with Stefan behind her.

"_Elena?" _Ashley said as Jeremy started to pull her back. "What are you doing with_ him_?

"I'm real fickle like that." She laughed evilly tossing her long curls behind her.

"Katherine." Jeremy said glaring at her. "What do you want?"

"That's Katherine?" Ashley gasped then shut up quickly when Katherine flashed her fangs at her and laughed.

"What do I want." Katherine laughed. "Such a loaded question. Isn't it Stefan?"

"Yes." he agreed his eyes glistening as he looked at Ashley's neck.

Jeremy stood in front of her trying to block Stefan from her. Stefan quickly pushed him aside. "Like taking candy from a baby"

"Not now. Stefan." Katherine snapped. "We need them alive to be effective bait. Grab the Gilbert. I'll get the human. I don't trust you."

* * *

_**AN: Huge thanks to all the reviewers from the last few chapters! I know a few of you have wondered if I'm going to do the same Katherine I did in the second best story. I decidied not to go the same route with her in this story. My inspriation for Katherine in this story same from the Comic Con preview. I hope you still enjoy her though. I'm looking forward to writing more of her in the upcoming chapters. I hope you liked the update. The Bonnie/Elena fight was really fun to write! Please review! **_


	19. Soul mates

**Chapter 19: Soulmates **

Katherine drove quickly to her destination and lulled her bait down into the basement of a large warehouse right outside of town. She motioned for Stefan to follow her down to the basement. "I won't run if you just let me walk.." Ashley begged.

"Shut up." Katherine muttered. "Jeremy is bait enough. I could just suck you dry if I wanted too."

"Then just do it." Ashley said her fear causing her to snap.

"Ashley please." Jeremy said.

"Lucky for you. I don't really like the taste of blonds." Katherine replied flippantly setting her down on the hard cellar floor. Ropes were set up against the wall. Katherine quickly tied her up. She glanced at Stefan who was doing the same to Jeremy across the room.

"No.. don't tie up the Gilbert." Katherine stopped him. "Those ropes are laced with vervain. I don't want to waste any of it."

"Okay." Stefan shrugged tossing Jeremy down.

"Besides. I bore easily and I do prefer live entertainment." Katherine said winking at Jeremy.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jeremy asked.

"I was there when you were a new vamp. I was down the hall in the basement. I know how Damon trained you. You control your blood lust by feeding at certain times. I think dinner time's coming soon Jeremy." Katherine laughed.

"He won't hurt me." Ashley said firmly looking Jeremy in the eyes.

Katherine ignored her and laughed.

"Oh Stefan." She sighed. "The look on her face when she realizes she's about to become his _dinner_.. it's gonna be priceless."

"Stefan." Jeremy begged. "I know your in there somewhere. You can't want this. This isn't you man. I've been living with you for a year. Your broody and guilt ridden, kind of grumpy and really stubborn. But your not a psychopath."

"I never liked that one." Stefan said to Katherine seeming to not have heard anything Jeremy just said. "She was incredibly disrespectful to me in my own home."

"I was not." Ashley muttered.

"Shut up." Katherine said whipping her head to glare at her. "You embody _everything _that is wrong with modern women. You speak out of turn, your rude and not to mention foolish."

"Let's go get some dinner of our own Stefan." Katherine said extending her hand to him. He took it and stood following her out. "You know what they say. A couple that hunts togethar.."

She laughed gleefully as she pulled Stefan upstairs and slammed the big cellar door down locking it behind her.

"It's okay Jeremy." Ashley said seeing his pained expression. "You won't hurt me."

"I know." He said taking a deep breath. "I know. I just have to stay focused. I won't hurt you. I couldn't lose you. I know how _that_ feels and I'm not going through it again."

She nodded. "We're going to make it through this."

"You have to listen to me though." Jeremy said. "I sort of get Katherine's mind. I mean I had to listen in on her fighting with Damon and manipulating Stefan in the basement for a month. You and I are not the ultimate prize here. She wants revenge we are just bait. She wants Damon and Elena to come save us."

"Of course." Ashley nodded. "And they will..."

"Of course." Jeremy sighed. "I'm not going to leave them. But you need to take that distraction and go. Run to the nearest house and wait for me to call you. Do not stay here and try to help. Just go."

"But how can I just abandon Elena when she needs me?"

"She needs you alive. There is nothing you can do to help us against vampires." Jeremy said firmly.

"But Elena will stay and fight?" Ashley asked.

"She has some experience in this.. Damon will try to keep her back but he's not going to succeed. Elena is very hard headed when it comes to protecting the ones she loves. Stupidly so." Jeremy said carefully. "That doesn't mean you need to be too. You have no idea how fast you could be killed or what that would do to me."

Ashely considered what he had been through losing both Anna and Vicki. She wasn't going to risk herself this time. She couldnt be the third one he lost. She thought about what had happened in the kitchen and gulped suddenly feeling really scared for her best friend.

"I wont stay Jeremy." She promised. "I will run and take your sister with me."

Jeremy sighed. "You will not be able to. Don't even try. It will just draw attention to both of you."

"But what if.." Ashely said looking stricken."Stefan almost killed her last night and Katherine..is after her for revenge according to Isobel. I don't want to lose Elena."

"Damon isn't going to let that happen." Jeremy said feeling certain about that at least. He didn't know about the rest of them. But he knew come hell or high water Damon would keep Elena safe.

* * *

Damon and Elena sat in the large Salvatore living room across from Bonnie and Isobel. Alaric was standing near the fireplace trying to call Jeremy's cell phone again. They had all met up an hour or so ago and Jeremy and Ashely never came back.

Elena. "Still nothing?"

"Just voicemail." Alaric replied worry crossing his features.

"We have to go _find_ them." Elena said.

"That's what she wants." Isobel said. "For you to go out wandering around so she can just grab you."

"We can all stay together." Elena augured.

"We need a plan." Damon replied. "For a plan to work we need more information. If Katherine took them which she probably did. It was for leverage or something. She will contact us. Then we can try to figure out what she's up to and plan from there."

"But.. how long.. what if they're in trouble?" Elena said her mind racing with fears of what could be happening to them.

"Then cooler heads will prevail." Isobel said.

"Or _blank_ heads as it were." Elena snapped grimacing at Isobel.

"It seemed like the right solution at the time." Isobel countered. "Katherine comes to me and tells me your time is up. I had to beg her to let you live. This was the only way she would do it."

"So the whole thing was Katherine's idea?" Elena asked.

"Yes." Isobel nodded. "I was just going to compel you to forget_ them _and take you out of town. But she insisted she had a better way."

"Why?" Elena asked.

"Why does she do anything?" Isobel shrugged. "Katherine is demonic. She seems to enjoy making people suffer. She wanted Damon and Stefan to be miserable. She prides herself on leaving destruction in her path."

"She was really jealous of you. She kept pointing out that you were _not _better then her. I think she's threatened by you." Isobel said a strange expression on her face.

"Elena is_ way _better then her." Damon said putting her arm around Elena. She smiled and leaned into him. Taking comfort in him was keeping her rage at Isobel and Bonnie down.

"You know what's interesting." Isobel said. "Katherine made the plan _knowing_ you would find Elena. She just waited for it to happen."

"Do you think she knew I would get my memory back?" Elena asked.

"I know I did the spell right. I don't understand how she did." Bonnie said quietly ignoring Elena's glare in her direction.

"I think she did. She said something about an eternity of living without your mate is the worst fate you can have." Isobel murmured thoughtfully. "I considered this myself. But now I'm sure of it. Katherine believes you are soulmates and that threatens her or scares her somehow."

"I knew we were too." Elena said softly. "When I didn't have any knowledge of my life all I could go off of was feelings and I felt so connected to Damon. I knew he was my soulmate."

"_Oh Damon_.. I didn't know you did hearts and soulmates." Alaric teased.

Damon glared back at him. "I don't. Why does this matter anyway we need to be planning a way to defeat a three hundred year old vampire and my crazed brother."

Elena shot him a dark look clearly hurt.

He shrugged and sighed. "Can we talk about this later? Without the audience?"

Her eyes softened and she nodded.

"Look. I'm not talking about getting into all the romantic implications of this. I'm talking about soulmates in general. I've done some research. Their are many theories out there." Isobel said. "The most interesting being that every soul has a mate. Most never find theirs time doesn't always work hand in hand with nature and it's rare for mated souls to ever be born in the same time. The ones that are extremely powerful." Isobel explained.

"I read a book like that at the library." Elena exclaimed.

"What do you mean by powerful?" Damon asked his interest slightly piqued.

"According to some research I've done. Once soul mates find each other they cannot let go. It's as if they are drawn together by a force. That force is their connection and it's powerful. It also theorizes that when one soul has to defend the other it is extremely powerful. Damon showed an amazing amount of strength against Stefan last night when your life was in danger." Isobel explained further.

"Our connection was too strong for Bonnie's spell to hold. Once we were together again I started having memories." Elena said nodding.

"I did feel an incredible burst of adrenaline when I saw her on the floor.. _like that_" Damon said his eyes looked haunted for a moment.

"But tell me more about this power.." He continued.

"It has to do with the force that connects you to each other. You can basically pull energy from that force. The same way a vampire pulls energy from the blood we consume. The stronger your bond the stronger the force is." She explained.

"This is all pretty far fetched." Alaric said. "Anyone would get a burst of adrenaline from seeing someone they love hurt. I think your reading to much into this."

"But Stefan had a lot of blood in his system. Live blood. Even with a burst of adrenaline it shouldn't have been enough against him. I was to concerned with Elena to notice it at the time. But I felt a power come over me all the sudden. It was as if I had fed on really powerful blood." Damon said thoughtfully.

"I can't deny the draw I have always had to Elena. The way I felt completely dead when she was gone. The way I actually feel alive when she is around." Damon trailed off a strange expression on his face.

"Ric you make a snappy comment right now. I'm going to kill you again and I will make it painful." Damon suddenly snapped just as Ric had started forming a smirk.

"I wasn't going to." Alaric laughed. "Everything else that is supposed to be a fairy tale is real. What the hell. Just don't go thinking your stronger then you are here."

"I'm a vampire I pull energy out of the blood I consume. Life energy or whatever you want to call it. I know power well. If there is a strong power available for me to pull from I can find it and do that." Damon explained concentrating and staring ahead of him for a few moments. He nodded slowly.

"_Could_ you feel it?" Elena asked "This force or whatever?"

"I did and I think I can teach you how to do it too." He replied smiling.

"So how do we strengthen our bond quickly?" Elena asked.

Isobel grimaced. "Well.. uh."

"Oh." Elena said blushing a slight smile creeping up on the corner of her mouth.

"Not that." Isobel grimaced again. "The other uh."

"What?' Elena said confused.

"We can build a blood bond." Damon explained avoiding her eyes.

"Oh." Elena said again this time quietly looking in her lap.

"Now would be a good time for the audience to disappear." Damon muttered as everyone quickly shuffled out of the room.

* * *

**Thanks again to all the reviewers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!**


	20. Blood bond

**AN: This chapter should be rated a tentative M. **

**Chapter 20: Blood bond **

"I get this is something your not really comfortable with Elena." Damon said softly peering into her eyes.

"It's.. just.. I mean I drank your blood once before. I don't remember feeling any kind of bond from it." Elena stammered.

"It develops as you exchange blood. It strengthens the more you do it." Damon explained. "I know you don't believe it. But it's actually an incredibly pleasurable thing to do if done right."

"I'm just nervous." Elena said shakily. "When I gave Stefan my blood. It changed him."

"That isn't going to happen to me. I know how to control myself." Damon said softly.

"I know you do. But we are facing a dangerous enemy here." She sighed. "What if I die with your blood in my system?"

"I am going to everything in my power to make sure you don't die Elena. With or without my blood in your system." Damon said slowly.

"I know you will." She said. "Your blood will make me stronger?"

"Yes." he nodded. "It will give you energy and help heal wounds as you get them."

"What about the bond your talking about. How does it work?"

"It just allows us to sense each other. To feel each other. Something I wished I had when I was driving all over the place looking for you." He explained.

"It won't hurt?" Elena said looking less uncertain.

"It will a little when I first bite you. But only for a second and then it will feel really good." Damon said smirking slightly. "I can make sure your thoroughly distracted before I bite you so you don't feel the pain as much."

"Okay." Elena agreed taking a breath and pushing her hair over to the side revealing her neck.

"We don't have to do it right here and now Elena." Damon said holding back a laugh. "Why don't we go upstairs where it's private?"

She blushed and nodded slowly as he lead her upstairs. She could feel her heart pounding she was was so nervous about this.

"If you don't want to do this. Then don't. We can just make love over and over again strengthen our bond the human way." Damon offered feeling a strange mix of desire to taste her blood with fear that she would resent him for it.

"No I do." She said softly. "But I think we need to discuss the possibility of me becoming a vampire."

"Elena I'm not going to let..."

"Stop." She said. "I know you will do everything you can. But if it happens I need you to promise me that you will train me like you did Jeremy. You won't let me hurt anyone. I don't want to become...someone that kills people."

"I know." Damon said quietly. "You don't want to be like I was. I won't let that happen to you."

_"Damon_." Elena said softly.

"It's the truth Elena and I am just telling you I understand." Damon said. "You don't have to shut off your feelings. You don't have to become like Katherine or Isobel or.. _me_. Jeremy has done a really great job controlling himself and he's only one year. To be able to hang around with Ashley all the time shows considerable strength."

"He also not only left the kitchen when she was bleeding but he came back when you screamed. He didn't go crazy for her blood he tried to save you. I think it comes from being a Gilbert. Your vampire hunters by nature so you don't take to being a vampire normally" Damon mused incredibly impressed by Jeremy's strength. The stupid clock thing he taught him was just a shot in the dark. Damon was really surprised when it actually worked. He had never actually tried to sire a vampire that didn't hurt humans before.

Elena nodded slowly considering something she had never really thought about before. Well she did once.. .when she saved Damon's life in Georgia. Lexi's boyfriend had told her that if you want to be with someone forever you have to live forever. The words flashed through her mind. But at the time she and Stefan had just exchanged 'I love yous'. She wasn't ready to think about forever yet at that point.

With Damon she just couldn't imagine them ever not being together now. She was pretty sure her soul would shatter without him. What would happen to him when she eventually died? It was bound to happen someday.

"You okay?" Damon asked breaking her thoughts. "You were really far away for a minute there."

"I was just thinking about something.." Elena said slowly. "never mind.. it's to soon to talk about now."

"Elena." Damon said sternly. "Don't hold things back from me. I'm not Stefan. I won't freak out. We made love for hours this morning and now we've discovered we're soulmates. You can tell me anything."

"I know." She said. "I always could."

His smiled at her softly. A smile reserved for her and only her and took her hand.

"It's just something I hadn't really considered yet and _now._ I think... I want you to change me." Elena blurted out.

"_What?" _He said raising an eyebrow. "Elena. I can't train you right now and deal with a crazy brother and psycho ex at the same time."

"Not right now." She said softly. "But someday in the near future. I am human. Humans die Damon. I can't do that to you."

Damon shook his head. "I don't know if I could do it. Not now.. I love you. I can't kill you. Especially if your only doing it for me."

"What about when I get old?" Elena asked.

"You'll never be older then me." He replied.

"But I will look it." She augured.

"So?" Damon shrugged his trademark smirk reappearing. "I like cougars. Especially feisty ones like you will probably be."

"Damon I'm serious." Elena said firmly.

"_I know_." he sighed. "But this is probably the first time you have really considered it. This isn't something to take lightly. It's a decision you have to make for yourself not for me."

"Your right." Elena agreed, "and I do need to think about it carefully first."

"Yes." He said pressing his forehead to hers. "If that is what _you_ decide that _you_ want. Then I will sire you. But we have to find a way to do it without me killing you."

"Well then Damon Salvatore. I believe we are in agreement." Elena smirked.

"That's gotta be a first." He laughed winking at her.

"Mark it down." She agreed smiling. "So you ready to bite me?"

Damon laughed and pulled her into his lap. Amazed at how perfectly she seemed to fit in it. Better then Katherine and they were the same size. It was just something about his body and Elena's body they seemed to curl together in sync.

He kissed her softly and tenderly stroking the back of her hair. He pulled back and peered into her soft brown eyes letting his walls comes down. He imagined putting them up between him and Elena and just shutting out the rest of the world.

He pulled back and bit his wrist quickly bringing it to her mouth. She looked nervous at first. She lightly licked at the wound. Her face puckering up slightly. He watched her face carefully feeling her heart beat pick up as she started to pull the blood from him.

He felt his arousal start to peak from the motions and feelings of Elena pulling his blood from him. He carefully pushed her hair to the side and kissed her neck up and down. He could feel her heart start to race. He started licking the spot he was about to bite. She moaned in pleasure. He bit down fast and she drew a quick breath at the initial sting, The taste of her blood hitting his mouth sent Damon into euphoria. It was by far the best blood he had ever tasted. Nothing could compare now.

Elena felt like she was floating on some cloud. All her senses were heightened by Damon's blood and her nerves were on fire from him taking her blood. She could feel him. She could feel his desire mingling with her own. She felt him pull back from her neck and quickly lay her down on the bed. He kissed her passionately while the euphoric feeling was still surrounding them. She could taste the mixed blood in their mouths and it sent them both into a frenzied passion.

"I need you." Damon whispered huskily.

Elena moaned in response. Damon took her hungrily and passionately. Nothing like the mornings long and slow love making. She responded with a wildness and fire neither of them realized she had in her. They finally climaxed together and clung to each other.

"Love you." Damon whispered into her ear sending little goosebumps down her still over sensitive skin.

"I love you." She whispered her body clinging to his not ready to be separated from him.

He responded by pulling her closer into him. "I don't want to let you go."

"Then don't." She said feeling her body melt into his as he pulled her in even tighter.

They fell asleep like that still connected to each other allowing the world around them to cease to exist for a few hours.

* * *

_**AN: Sorry for the late update. The weekends here! So I'll be writing. Please review! **_


	21. Deadly intentions

**Chapter 21 Deadly intentions **

Stefan followed Katherine to the bar and waited in the alley for her to lure some humans. He considered the fact that she had come back and saved him after Damon nearly killed him. Maybe he really could trust her this time. Maybe... Stefan was no longer sure. Katherine was intent on getting revenge on Damon and Stefan was happy to help her. But the anger of betrayal he felt from Elena was on Katherine as well. She betrayed him first and she did it worse.

Stefan wasn't sure if he could forgive her for her actions after all. He was the fool back then in 1864 and he was the fool now. He was tired of it. Maybe it was time to show everyone who he was. Maybe this time Stefan would get what he wanted and he didn't care who had to suffer for it.

"Come on boys follow me." Katherine was giggling like a young girl.

Stefan frowned in distaste he had been hoping for a woman to feed from. But he lunged for the larger of the two men and drained him quickly.

He sat patiently as Katherine took her time with the younger man. She loved playing with her food. She fingered his neck seductively and but gingerly. She pressed her body against his and moaned as she drew his blood into her body. Stefan suddenly felt an urge to scream _whore_. But instead he fixed a loving expression on his face and continued to wait.

"Thank you love." He said sweetly motioning to the man at his feet. She finished and tossed the boy to the side. She smiled at him wickedly.

"Gotta love a good hunt." She smiled looking fully sated. She ran her finger down Stefan's cheek.

"I missed it." He agreed leaning in and kissing her with anger. She mistook it for passion and moaned slamming him against the wall of the alley and kissing him harder.

"We better get out of here." Stefan breathed huskily. "Check on our _bait_."

Katherine laughed wickedly. "Pathetic little Elena must be frantic by now. Oh Stefan. The games are about to get started."

"I can't wait." Stefan said grinning. His eyes flashed evilly as he followed her back out into the night. Enjoying the power and speed he had missed for long. Soon enough, He thought, I'll show them all I'm nobodies fool.

* * *

Jeremy sat quietly in the corner counting to one hundred over and over it was keeping him calm. Keeping him from counting her heartbeats, from hearing her pulse, and smelling her blood. He realized this was the true test of who we was. A test he desperately needed to pass.

He wasn't the first Gilbert to have turned. Their were other black sheep in the family as well. When Damon and Alaric captured Katherine she had several of the Gilbert journals with her. Jeremy wasn't sure what she wanted with them but he read and re read the journal's several times. Katherine it seemed had tortured his family for generations. Over time the Gilbert's had become proficient vampire one and only goal had always been to destroy Katherine Pierce. But she never came alone and their was always other vampires around to kill. She had steadily avoided capture every singe time.

Jeremy and Elena weren't the first Gilbert's to be drawn to vampires. There had been others that had turned. A few of them even came close to capturing Katherine but were killed in rage by their own family. The vampire hunters refusing to allow the Gilbert name to live on in vampire. Katherine had never let up his family. She didn't just kill but broke up families, ruined towns, and caused compete havoc to anyone in her path. She destroyed his ancestors and his family one by one.

Still is, He mused, Only now their was game changer involved. He would bet money that a half Gilbert half Pierce baby was never meant to exist. Jeremy wasn't entirely sure what that meant for Elena. But he did know that Katherine would kill him once she no longer needed him. He was a Gilbert male and judging from the journals she tortured them the worst. Uncle John was complete idiot agreeing to work with her. Jeremy was never going to understand what his uncle was thinking. He had read these journals after all.

He stole a glance at Ashley who had somehow managed to sleep through all of this. He heard the foot steps and smelled the human blood and knew Katherine and Stefan were approaching. He saw Ashley stir and suddenly he flew over to her side and removed her bracelet.

"You are going to sleep peacefully until I tell you to run. Then you run like hell. Got it." He compelled. She lulled back into a peaceful sleep and he hurried back to his corner. He knew she could be angry at him later. But he was worried about her mouth getting her into trouble.

"Oh good he hasn't eat her yet." Katherine said entering the cell with Stefan behind her.

"I didn't want to miss it." She said in a seductive tone coming closer to Jeremy. He looked past her and noticed Stefan's chin tighten.

"Once you feed live your senses will explode." Katherine said stroking Jeremy's cheek.

"_Back off bitch_." Jeremy muttered jumping away from her.

"You will be on such overload you wouldn't be able to control the lust. I could take you and you wouldn't even care that I look like your sister." Katherine giggled. "The horror you would feel after the deed was done. It would be priceless."

"Your _sick_." Jeremy spat.

"Katherine love." Stefan interrupted a hurt look plastered across his face. "You don't honestly want him?"

"Of course not Stefan." She said flippantly. "I just want to watch him suffer."

"Fine then let everyone else go. I'm the only Gilbert left. I'm the one you want vengeance on so take it and let's move on. Leave everyone else out of it." Jeremy said crossing his arms.

"I'm impressed Gilbert. You intuitive. I'll give you that. I do plan on destroying the last Gilbert. But now that you can no longer procreate. I am in no rush to kill you. Your still a baby." Katherine mused. "I've only started making you suffer."

Stefan looked at her curiously he thought Jeremy was just bait. This was supposed to be a trap for Damon and Elena.

"What do you mean by started?" Jeremy asked his eyes narrowing.

"Did you ever ask yourself why John staked Annabelle and not Damon? Clearly he wanted the Salvatore's away from Elena so why would he have wasted the opportunity on her?" Katherine asked a smile forming in the corners of her mouth.

"You.. you gave the order. Anna's dead because of you!" Jeremy rushed Katherine only to be pushed back against the cold hard granite wall in seconds.

"Yes." She hissed. "I won't ever allow you to find happiness and simply killing you isn't enough, Your the last one. Your going to get it the _worst_."

"But your not the last on yet _Jer_." Katherine said her tone cooling still only inches from Jeremy's face. "Elena is half Gilbert. She still exists."

"But she is also half Pierce." Jeremy reminded her.

"Of course and she took the best parts of it of _me_. She thinks she is better then me. She is the worst Gilbert of them all because she was_ never _supposed to happen. She taunts me everyday the human who stole my face who walks around with Gilbert blood tainting my own. She gets her mate? Her happily ever after. No way. Jeremy your wrong. I'm not here destroy you. Not yet. I'm here to destroy _Elena _and her mate."

"Speaking of which. I think it's time to invite the happy little couple over." Katherine said holding out her hand. "Give me your phone Gilbert. It's time to get started."

* * *

Damon woke up to Elena's phone ringing. She was curled into his body like a little kitten. He smiled softly. Actually enjoying the warm feeling he was getting from her. He realized he was already starting to sense her feelings. She was calm and happy. He didn't want to wake her just yet.

He reached over to grab her phone to silence it when he saw Jeremy's name flash up on the screen. He frowned as reality hit him.

"Yes." He said picking up the phone. He felt Elena start to stir in his arms and pulled her close to him.

"Answering each other's phones already. How sweet." Katherine purred.

"Just tell me what you want. I'm a little preoccupied right now." Damon snapped.

"So crude." Katherine said making the tisk sound.

"Listen carefully. You want to save Jeremy and his little blond mouthpiece. You both do exactly as I say." Katherine started.

"And if I don't?" Damon challenged.

"Then they both die. A baby vamp and a human? I wouldn't even _need_ Stefan." Katherine laughed.

"Stefan's with you?" Damon questioned.

"Does that bother you?" Katherine drawled.

Damon shrugged actually he felt better knowing where Stefan was and that he wouldn't be just showing up at any minute.

"Why would it? I can take my brother down no matter how full you load him up with human blood." Damon replied.

"I doubt that." Katherine chirped. "My Stefan is becoming so strong. The far better choice in every respect."

"Go to hell Katherine." Damon spat.

"Not if I take you there first." She said her voice dripping with venom. "You and your little pet.

"Listen carefully Damon. I will send Stefan to get you and Elena at midnight tonight. No one is to follow him. He is gut loaded so to speak he will know if he's followed. He calls me and I kill them...just like that. So that vampire hunter you've decided to befriend will have to stay back. That little traitor Isobel can keep him company. Tell her not to worry. I'll be coming for her soon enough." She instructed.

"What if Stefan just flies off the handle at attacks us?" Damon asked worrying about the gut loaded part of her little plan.

"He won't." She replied. "He wants to destroy you just as bad as I do."

Damon hung the phone up and tried to formulate a plan.

"Who was on the phone?' Elena said sleepily as she woke up.

"Katherine." Damon replied.

Elena's eyes grew wide with fear.

"We have to go tonight." He grimaced.

"It's not enough time.. to learn." Elena stammered in fear as her face paled.

"I know." He said softly. "It will be okay we'll figure out a way. We have a secret weapon. It's not the best one we could have. It's kind of like a car that could crap out on you at any moment. But it's _something_..."

What is it already?" Elena said relaxing a bit and rolling her eyes.

"Bonnie." He answered. "Katherine doesn't know she's here."

* * *

Please review!


	22. Family ties

**Chapter 22 Family ties **

"Great." Isobel muttered as Damon and Elena finished filling everyone in on Katherine's call. "Just great. How are we supposed to help you if we're sitting here?"

"We still have Bonnie." Damon explained. "If we can keep her presence hidden from Stefan. She can do a locator spell and you and Ric can come find us."

"I can keep my presence hidden from him." Bonnie nodded solemnly. "I need to move my car and then I will wait in basement until it's time."

She quickly walked out and Elena breathed a sigh of relief that she was helping them. She knew her and Bonnie would never be friends again but at least they were on the same side.

"What if your already dead by then?" Ric said looking worried.

"Katherine loves to play games." Damon said rolling his eyes. "If she just wanted to kill us she would have at least attempted it already. She wants to destroy us first and I'm sure she'll take her time with it."

Ric shuddered. "None the less, Elena, you take this." He took his ring off and handed it to her.

"No.." Elena said. "I can't _you_ need it too."

"Leave it on Ric." Isobel remarked.

"Excuse me?" Damon said raising an eyebrow angrily. "_Elena_ is in more danger then Ric here."

"Really it's fine Damon." Elena started.

"He's right. I will not take no for an answer. Take the ring Elena." Ric said pushing it into her hand.

"Ahem." Isobel cleared her throat. "As I was saying... Ric keep your ring. Elena can wear her fathers." With that Isobel pulled John's ring out of her pocket and handed it to Elena.

Elena stared at the ring in horror. The last memory she had of it was on her father's severed fingers in the kitchen. Everything happened so fast after that. She couldn't remember anything else until she was at the bus station with Isobel and Bonnie.

"Put it on your toe." Isobel said quickly. "If Katherine sees it then it's going to just be a waste."

"How did you get it?" Elena said as she removed her shoe.

"John gave it to me" Isobel said quietly. "To give to you. Just in case you ever made your way back here."

"What are you taking about John's dead!" Elena exclaimed.

"As dead as Damon and I." Isobel said smirking.

"_What_?' Damon asked looking confused. "Why would Katherine turn him?"

"She didn't." Isobel replied. "John takes his responsibility as a Gilbert very seriously. He always planned on taking Katherine down as she did him. John liked backups. Insurance if you will. He's been drinking vampire blood for years. He wanted to ensure if he ever died it wouldn't be before she did."

"But he _hates_ vampires." Elena said scratching her head.

"Not as much as he hates Katherine and not as much as he insisted on being the one that killed her. Every move he has ever made was calculated to her eventual take down. He is obsessed with being the _one_ Gilbert that finally succeeds in ending her." Isobel explained.

"That sounds like John." Damon quipped.

"So where is he?" Elena asked.

"No idea. I lost touch with him a while ago. But he did follow you to Florida."

"Your kidding?" Elena mumbled.

"He showed up that night. Bonnie was finishing her spell when all of the sudden John is standing there watching. The man I just saw dead not less then an hour ago. He didn't want this life for you anymore then I did. So he went along with it. But he followed you. He planned on compelling some nice people to take you in but you met that girl right away. So he never had to. He called me to let me know you were safe and I never heard from him again." Isobel explained.

"So he must have a ring then?" Elena murmured thinking of the hot sun in Florida.

Isobel nodded. "He's got quite a few lapis lazuli stones actually. Katherine gives them to vampires she turns. Your family has been to war with her cronies several times over the years. I guess they kept the rings of the vampires they killed."

"This is crazy." Elena said running her hands through her hair. She had always known her family had some history with vampires. She never guessed it was this intense and it all came down to Katherine? Why did Katherine hate the Gilbert's so much? One vampire girl went to war with a whole family? Elena tried to slow the questions running through her head. But one remained.

"So why do I look like her?" Elena phrased the question that had run through her mind a million times since the night she saw that picture.

"Cosmic joke." Isobel muttered. "For some reason I was drawn to John and him me. Why a Pierce and a Gilbert would find each other and then actually have a_ baby_? Had we done that in another century we both would have been killed. For you to not only be born but look just _like _her.. I don't know Elena. The whole thing is to weird to be a coincidence but I don't think we are ever going to know the answer to that."

"It's to far out there to understand." Ric added looking thoughtful. "Perhaps Elena is the symbol. A higher power had decided to intervene. Elena looks like Katherine but is a Gilbert and a good person she is like the new beginning. The end of the feud."

"Insightful." Damon said but he looked serious.

"So that means it is my destiny to kill Katherine." Elena said.

"No it's mine." Damon said. "If we're going keep talking fate here. I was drawn to her first. She turned me into a monster. Elena, _you_ brought me back. Maybe it was all meant to happen. Because you are not a killer but I am."

Isobel nodded slowly and took a breath. "I don't really care who kills her. Just as long as she _gets_ killed." Her eyes had darkened a bit and she left the room.

"Is she okay?" Elena asked.

"You brought out the human in her tonight. She just needs to shut it off for a while. Its hard to take feelings when your not used to them." Damon whispered. "Your good at that by the way. Getting through to us. I think you have more power then you realize."

* * *

Elena looked at the clock and saw it was going on ten. "We should practicing this using the power thing. If we're going to stand a chance at all I'm going to need to be able to defend myself."

Damon nodded and sat her down on the couch kneeling in front of her. Her put his hand on his chest in between her breasts. She flushed slightly and he smirked.

"Be serious Elena." He teased lightly giving her a quick kiss.

"Okay what do I do?"

"I am going to concentrate on finding your power and I want you to just close your eyes and feel the energy. One you feel it you can find it easier yourself." He said softly and she closed her eyes as he concentrated on finding the energy within her that he had felt in himself earlier. He could feel the energy flowing through her body and felt her gasp as the rush of power hit her. He pulled his hand back and watched her face as her eyes widened and her mouth opened.

"I can see everything so clearly." She whispered staring intently at his face. "Your even more beautiful then I realized."

"Beautiful?" Damon grimaced. "How about hot, sexy, irresistible, gorgeous would even work. But _beautifu__l.."_

"Beautiful." She repeated smiling softly. He shook his head but couldn't hide the smile spreading across his face as she studied him.

"This is incredible. I can hear Isobel and Ric talking in the kitchen." She added bouncing up a little from the extra energy around her.

"That's your power or the energy from our connection. It is stronger already. " Damon smiled relieved that this was actually working.

Elena blinked a few times and sat back. "I think it's fading already."

"Your still a human. You are only able to use the energy until it runs out and then you have to pull more. Whereas vampires get it from the constant flow of blood. I didn't even realize humans could do this." Damon said raising an eyebrow.

"I can because of you." She replied.

"Because your my soulmate." He said softly.

"Yeah." Elena said in a dazed tone her heart racing a bit. It was one thing to daydream about it but to actually have proof you have found your soulmate? It was indescribable. Despite the severity of the situation they were currently in. That fact alone was keeping her going. She somehow knew that they would get through this together.

Damon pulled her into his arms feeling her love for him surround him from the blood bond that had already begun to form. He could see she felt it too. She gazed at him in surpise. Love flowing from her eyes as she smiled softly at him and tucked her head unto his chest. He stroked her hair softly. Determined to make it through this night with her in his arms at the end of it.

* * *

**Orange County Florida: **

**( Ashley and Andrew's house) **

Andrew sighed as he got Ashley's voicemail again. He hadn't heard from her since she called from a motel in Georgia. He hoped the girls were all right. He hated the idea of Janie er Elena or his cousin being in any kind of danger.

He heard a knock at the door and quickly crossed over to answer.

"Hey, I live down the street and my car broke down. Can I came in and use your phone?" A man asked he was a tall clean cut blond man with blue eyes. He seemed nice enough.

Andrew just nodded. "Sure come on in."

"I thought cops had better instincts then that." The man said as he crossed the threshold and bared his fangs.

Andrew stood frozen in a state of shock unsure what to so or say. Every muscle in his body tensed.

"Calm down rookie." The man said his face retreating back to normal. "I just came over to ask you a few questions."

"About what." Andrew stuttered.

"My daughter." The man replied. "She was living here with you. But she hasn't been here in a long time. Where did she go?"

"Janie is your daughter?"

"Janie?"

"I mean Elena.. " Andrew said slowly backing away.

"Tell me everything you know." the man said staring into his eyes.

"She left to find a man. Her boyfriend she had a dream about him. They ended up going to Georgia where they found him. They found out her name was Elena. I haven't heard from them since. " Andrew said quickly.

The man's face darkened and he looked angry. Andrew tried to understand why he had told the man all of this. He was dangerous. This was no human. He saw the fangs earlier. He just couldn't believe what he had seen. Was he really Elena's father? What is he was out to harm her?

Andrew looked up and the blue eyes loomed in over his.

"You won't remember any of this." The man said and was gone in a flash.

* * *

_**AN: Sorry for the late update! Ive been super busy with work. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review! **_


	23. Strange destinies

**Chapter 23: Strange destinies **

Elena looked nervously at the clock. It was getting close to midnight. Stefan was going to be here soon. Damon was helping her find her power. He also showed her how to 'save it up' so to speak for a larger burst of power later on. She was nervous that Katherine or Stefan may sense the power inside of her but Damon assured her that it's not something you can see inside someone until they use it.

She could sense Damon's emotions mingling with her own. It was strange and comforting at the same time. Damon was scared somewhat Elena could sense that in him. But he was also determined.

"We're going to make it through this night." Damon whispered into her ear as Stefan approached the door.

"Ready?" Damon asked pulling Elena up with him. Isobel and Ric were downstairs waiting with Bonnie. Damon told them to wait at least an hour before following so Stefan wouldn't sense them coming.

"Not really but let's do this." Elena smiled weakly.

Stefan walked in and glared hard at the two of them. "Come on." He said turning around and walking back out. Damon and Elena followed him slowly. Damon kept a tight grip on Elena's hand as they walked behind Stefan. Stefan was the one thing was making Damon the most nervous in this scenario because he was pumped full of blood he had no control over. Stefan said nothing he just continued to walk ahead of them. They seemed to walk forever until they finally reached an old abandoned warehouse.

"My guests have finally arrived!" Katherine exclaimed happily as Stefan led them into the building.

Elena stared at the woman who looked exactly like her with colder eyes. "Where is my brother and my friend. You have to let them go now."

"Don't tell me what to do little girl." Katherine snapped.

"You are the one who will decide their fate." Katherine continued walking down towards a large cellar and motioning for Elena and Damon to follow.

"It's all about choices you know." Katherine said dramatically as she stood in front of a large cement look door. "Life..I mean. Every day we make choices some bad some good. Some selfish.. Today you choose Elena. You and your love or Jeremy and his. They get to go or you do. Your choice."

"Let them go." Damon said crossing his arms and glaring at Katherine.

"No no _no_." Katharine said stomping her feet in the ground. "I said Elena gets to choose. Not you. She needs to the know the scenarios."

Katherine walked over to Elena and sneered. She gestured to the door behind her.

"Behind that door. Your baby vamp brother and his tasty little girlfriend are trapped. He is eventually not going to be able to handle it. He's gonna eat her. If you decide to let them out then you and your mate take their place and I let them go." Katherine explained.

"Let them go." Elena said firmly She felt the chills on the back of her neck and hoped Jeremy was okay. If he hurt Ashley he would never forgive himself. He can't lose her too. She looked desperately at Damon who's eyes flickered in agreement. His blood lust was really not a concern to them. The choice seemed to easy even though there was clearly more to it. But she had to save her brother.

"Okay." Katherine said an evil smile spreading across her face. She opened the large cement door with some kind of necklace. "It's spelled. I'm the only one who can open it."

Elena gasped as she looked at her brother in the corner staring a hole into the floor as Ashley slept in the opposite corner of the room. She felt a whirl of wind and saw Katherine grab Damon. She had him tied up with vervain ropes before Elena could even grasp what was happening.

Jeremy had rushed over to Ashley and un-tied her.

"Run." Jeremy commanded and Ashley glanced at Elena but took off running as fast as she could. Elena realized he had compelled her to run. But grew concerned when Jeremy didn't follow her.

"Let them go!" Jeremy yelled rushing Katherine. Stefan cut him off from behind and threw him down to the ground.

Katherine giggled as Damon screamed from the vervain burning his skin.

"What you chose." Katherine said grabbing Elena's arm. She whipped her over to where Ashley had been and tied her up quickly. "Is just _perfect_. The perfect revenge. Damon did this to me he tied me up with vervain ropes and tortured me to to find you. The ultimate betrayal."

"Well maybe not the ultimate." She said standing in between Damon and Elena. She glanced over at Stefan. "I think we all know what the_ ultimate _betrayal was here."

Elena stole a glance at Damon she could see the pain he was in on his face and grimaced. Damon focused on his emotions trying to be as calm as possible so she would remain the same.

"Lucky for Stefan your not getting a happily ever after. It will be a tragic and slow end for the two of you." Katherine said dramatically. "See those vervain ropes I tied Damon up with? They were soaked in vervain for 2 months. They are loaded he isn't getting out of those holds and without food or water you will be to weak to get out of yours. "

"So.. Damon gets to watch you die. Right before his eyes. Then once your gone he will spend eternity mummified and staring at your remains. Oh and don't worry Damon. I will come back every hundred years or so and sit there pretending to be her for a while. Make you relive the torture over and over again." Katherine laughed manically.

"Why are you doing this?' Elena asked feeling sick.

"Why?' Katherine snapped. "Because you don't get to have your mate Elena and he doesn't get to have you. Your family killed my mate Elena. Your disgusting vampire hunting family decided he was a threat to their town. They used me as bait to trap him and they killed him. What they didn't realize was that I had been drinking his blood. I turned myself and swore revenge."

Elena's eyes widened as she realized what had driven Katherine all of these years.

"I got it too. Over and over. Then you came along with my face. You stole both Salvatore's and then go and find _your _soulmate? So you can have_ your _happily ever after? Not in this life." Katherine snapped angrily.

"Bitch!" Jeremy yelled rushing Katherine from behind she lost her balance a bit and frowned.

"I could just kill you right now you little gnat." Katherine hissed angrily. She grabbed Jeremy by the back of the hair and pulled him out of the cellar. Elena stared after them in horror and prayed she wasn't going to kill him.

She didn't see Stefan approach her until he was right in front of her. He stared into her eyes intently.

"I'm going to help you." He said slowly.

Elena's eyes widened slightly wondering if he meant it.

"I will save you. I always do. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to go back to normal. You won't remember Damon. You only remember me."

Elena's eyes flickered slightly as Stefan gazed deeper.

"Stop it Stefan!" Damon yelled alarmed. "Stop compelling her!"

"You won't remember Damon. You only love me Stefan." He repeated.

"Elena don't listen!" Damon begged his eyes desperately trying to reach her.

"I only love Stefan." Elena repeated in a trance like voice.

"What the hell are you_ doing_!" Katherine demanded entering the room with a murderous angry look in her eyes.

Stefan pulled out a stake and rushed her. Katherine was to fast for him and ducked out of the way quickly. She disappeared and reappeared in front of Stefan ripping the stake from his hands.

"You betrayed me!" She accused.

"You never loved me." Stefan hissed back at her. "You called me a conquest. Your a whore and I hate you."

She stabbed Stefan in the stomach and he groaned and fell back against the wall.

"Stefan!" Elena called out concern in her voice.

Damon grimaced he desperately wanted to use his power now to force himself out of the ropes. But he had to keep building it up. He had to wait for Isobel and Ric to show up. He couldn't do this alone.

He heard their footsteps as they ran down to the cellar. Katherine started for the door but Stefan threw himself in front of it so it didn't close. Ric and Isobel rushed in the room and both headed for Katherine. She evaded their ambush quickly fire in her eyes.

Damon watched as Isobel and Katherine faced off. Isobel rushed Katherine with a stake but was hurled backwards into the wall.

"Traitorous bitch!" Katherine snapped at her leering over her with a stake in hand. "Now you die."

Ric took her temporary distraction to stab Katherine in the back with a vervain dart. She lost her balance as the poison hit her. Damon saw Stefan go over to Elena and start untying her.

"Shit." Damon muttered realizing he was going to take her before Stefan had her in his arms and out of the cellar."No more time."

Damon used all the power he had built up to force himself out of the ropes. Katherine was still stumbling from the vervain but she had control over the fight with Ric. Damon grabbed the rope she had tied him with and wrapped it around Katherine's neck. She gagged instantly as the fire spread into her throat.

Damon whipped her against the wall and growled at her pulling every ounce of power he could from inside of him. Her eyes widened as she realized he had more power then her.

"You can't kill me. I look just like her." Katherine managed to gasp.

* * *

"Stefan where are we going?" Elena asked as Stefan carried her out of the room.

"Jer!" She said running over to Jeremy who was laying on the ground outside of the warehouse.

Stefan leaned over him and looked at him. he nodded back to Elena. "He will be fine. We have to go now."

"We have to bring him with us." Elena said slowly.

"We will come back for him love." Stefan said gently. "We have to go now."

"Go now." Elena repeated mutely.

Stefan nodded looking relieved as he grabbed her arm and walked with her into the woods. He struggled to decide where to take her. He realized he needed his car so he picked her up and carried her to the boarding house.

"Stefan what happened tonight?" Elena asked.

"Don't worry love. Everything is going to be okay." He said staring at her eyes before he hurried into the house and ran up to his room to start packing.

Elena took a deep breath as she watched him watch up the stairs. She heard a soft knock at the door and went to answer it.

"Let me in Elena." John whispered from outside the door.

She nodded. "Come in."

John looked at her with a questioning look in his eyes trying to understand what was happening with very little information. But something was off she was not shocked to see him and she let him in. He noticed she wasn't wearing the vervain necklace and realized she could be under compulsion. He walked carefully into the house and tried to get a grasp in what was happening.

"What is he doing here?" Stefan said looking angry as he came down the stairs.

"I just came to pay my daughter a visit. What's it to you?" John said casually. He glanced at Elena who's eyes seemed to go more blank as Stefan approached.

"Now is not a good time." Stefa said getting dangerously close."You should _leave_ now."

"No." John said slowly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Elena was very slowly walking backwards to the desk looking frightened of the two vampires. John pulled a vervain dart out from his pocket but Stefan grabbed his wrist and threw the dart across the room. He slammed John against the wall and bared his fangs.

"Stefan?" Elena said weakly. "Don't kill him. He is my father."

"I have to Elena. He stands in our way." Stefan said staring into her eyes. "You love me. You will never question my actions."

"I love you. Never question." Elena repeated.

Stefan turned around and stroked her cheek lightly.

"I'm doing all of this for you." He said gently.

She leaned up and kissed him softly he closed his eyes savoring her lips.. when he felt the stake pierce through his skin and gasped. He shot his eyes open and Elena was glaring at him stake in hand.

"No.." He said weakly.

"You left me no other choice." She said stabbing it into his heart. He fell to the ground in an ashened thud. Elena looked at John who was staring at her with a shocked and concerned look on his face. She looked down at Stefan and collapsed.

* * *

"Oh yes I can kill you _bitch_." Damon said tightening the vervain ropes around Katherine's neck.

"Ric hand me a stake." Damon growled. Ric tossed a stake into the air but Jeremy rushed into the room and grabbed it.

"Stefan's got Elena just go." Jeremy said walking over to Katherine with the stake in hand.

"Jeremy.. your not." Damon started.

"I know you love my sister and you hate Katherine. But this is my family we're talking about Damon. _My_ family that she destroyed. She killed _Anna _did you know that? Well had her killed. I need to do this Damon. Let me kill her." Jeremy said his face serious.

Damon said nothing he just nodded in understanding. Damon stepped away from Katherine leaving the ropes around her neck to keep her weakened. Jeremy wasted no time in driving the stake through her heart.

"It's finally over." He said as he watched her crumble to the ground.

"Let's go get Elena." Damon said as they all ran out of the warehouse.

"Jeremy?" Ashley said slowly coming out of the woods.

"Hey." He said wrapping his arms around her and picking her up to run with her.

Ric was helping Isobel walk who was still healing so Damon and Jeremy ran ahead with Ashley.

Damon's phone rang and he picked it up quickly seeing Elena's number.

"Elena?"

"Guess again." John Gilbert grumbled.

"What are you doing with her?" Damon asked alarmed.

"I wouldn't hurt her she's my daughter you tool." John snapped. "She's okay Stefan is gone. We're at the boarding house."

"Let me talk to Elen.." I started but John hung up.

"Talk about having the worst in-laws you could imagine." Damon muttered.

"In-laws?" Jeremy questioned. Ashley giggled slightly.

"You ended a feud that has been going on for god knows how many centuries." Damon said changing the subject quickly. "How did you do it? Katherine had to have beat you up pretty bad outside I could hear it. You would have needed blood."

"Ashley came back and found me. I compelled her to find a house but she got lost and made circle. She found the warehouse again instead. She made me drink her blood. But I handled it. I used the strength to come down and help you." Jeremy explained.

"I'm impressed kid." Damon kid said smirking slightly.

"Are you saying your proud of me?" Jeremy questioned.

"For screwing up the compulsion no.. and drinking her blood was really risky. But the outcome makes up for the bumps. So yeah Jer. I'm proud of you." Damon said smiling honestly.

"Thanks." Jeremy said smiling to himself. His smile left his face as they drew close to the boarding house. "I think Stefan had her compelled."

"He did." Damon groaned. "But John said he's gone.."

He entered the boarding house slowly and saw Stefan laying on the ground an ashen heap a stake sticking out of his chest. John was standing awkwardly near him looking unsure of what to do. Elena was on the ground curled into a ball.

"What happened!" Damon yelled out rushing to her side.

"Elena.. Elena." He stared into her eyes trying to reach her. She blinked a few times and then sighed slowly.

"Damon." She whispered stroking his cheek.

"What happened?" He said. "Stefan compelled you?"

"No I faked it." She whispered looking into his eyes. "I killed him."

"I killed him." She repeated. "He's dead."

Her body started shaking as the sobs started erupting through her body. Damon could feel the guilt the guilt that was trying to consume her. He wrapped her into his arms and held her tight. He didn't try to make her feelings or pain go away he simply held her tightly against him and let her sob.

* * *

_**Thanks everyone for the reveiews and reading! I hope you liked this review!**_


	24. Aftermath part one

**Chapter 24: Aftermath part one **

They all sat silently in the living room for a long time. Elena had stopped crying and sat numbly in Damon's arms. She tried to avoid looking at Stefan's body but it was impossible.

"We have to bury him." She finally said in barley a whisper.

"You don't have to.." Damon started.

"Yes." Elena said. "I do."

Bonnie came up and joined them in the living room. She blinked hard at Stefan's dead body and nodded.

"Is Katherine dead to?" She asked.

"Yes." Jeremy replied. "I killed her."

"You_ did_?" Elena gasped.

"It was my destiny." Jeremy explained with no sign of remorse.

"Perhaps it was." John muttered. "I'm proud of you nephew."

"Go to hell." Jeremy spat out in horror. "You killed Anna. Your _supposed _to be dead."

"I had a back up plan." John stammered.

"Your a lying hypocrite." Jeremy spat out his veins darkening. "I will never forgive you for killing her. I am what I am now because of it John. You knew what Katherine was capable off but yet you agreed to do her bidding? "

"I needed her to think I was on her side." John tried to explain.

"Just go to _hell_." Jeremy thundered racing down to the cellar. Ashley frowned a strange expression on her face but she stayed still and didn't rush to join him.

"Jeremy." John called after him.

"Shut up John." Elena snapped. "Leave him alone. You don't deserve his forgiveness. You can live with your guilt."

"Look Elena. I understand your shocked and traumatized right now. I also get that you hate the part I played in what Bonnie did to your memory. But everything I did was to protect you." John said. "You were better off _away_ from them. I didn't want this life for you _or_ Jeremy."

"You can't interfere with destiny John." Elena sighed. "I remembered Damon and eventually everything else. Because the heart doesn't forget the ones it loves. Your plan was never going to work. It was cruel and callous for all of you to play with my mind that way. To steal my life from me. I will never forget it."

"Luckily for you two." Elena said pointing at John and then Isobel."This apple falls miles and I mean miles away from the tree. I am not vengeful and I don't hold grudges. I may not ever trust the two of you. I hate what you did to me. But you both helped save us tonight so I forgive you."

"Bonnie." Elena said slowly turning to her former friend a broken expression settled on her face.

"I don't need to hear any declarations or whatever from you Elena. Katherine and Stefan are dead so I assume you will all hold to your end of the bargain? I would like you all gone by morning." Bonnie said crisply.

"What?" Elena said new tears forming in her eyes. "I haven't even seen Jenna yet. Please Bonnie give us a few weeks."

"No." Bonnie said crossing her arms. "You have attracted yet another vampire to my town. You are to leave tonight."

"_Excuse me_." John said right as Damon had opened his mouth to protest.

"The Gilbert's are a founding family. You have _no right _to kick _my _daughter out of town." John said facing Bonnie.

"We had a deal. They don't leave and I tell the Founders council everything I know. I'm sure they would be interested to learn what _you_ have become." Bonnie spat out.

"Possibly. It might disturb them somewhat. But Damon and I have helped the town several times. I'm sure we can convince them the town needs us around to keep it safe. I can also convince them that witches are entirely too dangerous. To emotional and much to angry. The black magic starts to settle into your soul when your not careful. But I bet you know this already don't you _Bonnie_?" John threatened his face inches from Bonnie's.

"One week." Bonnie muttered avoiding his eyes. She quickly left the house slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Elena let out a shaky breath wiping away her tears. Her eyes traveled over to Stefan.

"We have to bury him" She said again quietly.

Damon just nodded and scooped up his brother's dead body. Alaric was already waiting outside with a shovel. He nodded to someone behind Elena and Elena felt a small hand on her shoulder. She squeezed Ashley's hand needing the comfort only her best girlfriend could provide at the moment and Ashley somehow knew that. They walked slowly to the graveyard. Isobel and John had stayed behind. Neither of them really cared that Stefan was dead.

Elena shuddered as she watched Damon dig a grave for his brother next to his father's. Damon put Stefan's body inside carefully. A rare and somber expression across his face.

"I'm sorry." He said simply. "I should have been a better brother to you. I'm not sorry that I took Elena from you because she is everything to me. But I am sorry for what it cost you. I want to remember you for the boy you were before you turned. I will miss him. Goodbye Stefan. "

A single tear fell from Damon's cheek. He felt Elena walk up beside him. She squeezed his hand. He squeezed it back lightly and stepped away to give Elena a moment with Stefan. Elena stared at Stefan's face numbly.

"I can't believe it came to this." She said softly. "I did love you. But our love just wasn't meant to last. It wasn't that kind of love. I don't regret ending things with you and I don't regret falling in love with Damon. I wish I would have handled things _differently_... explained things _better_... I don't know."

She sighed. "I just wish you wouldn't have snapped the way you did. I didn't want my memories of you to be tainted. Because what we once had would have always been precious to me. But now it's riddled with hurt and anger and guilt. I'm sorry for hurting you. I know you are too wherever you are. I hope you find peace."

She pushed back her tears and ran to Damon who embraced her tightly and nodded at Ric to bury the grave.

"I'm sorry Damon." Elena whispered.

"Stop." He said kneeling down so he was staring into her eyes."Don't ever blame yourself for this. You did what you had to do. You saved yourself, you saved us. Promise me you won't let this guilt consume you."

"I promise." She sighed. "I won' t. Your right. I didn't have a choice anymore. I was using my power to hold his compulsion off but I was getting weaker. John proved the perfect distraction. I had to act fast. I knew in the end there was no other choice."

"You saved _us_ Elena." Damon said holding her face close to his. "I can't live without you now."

"I love you so much." She whispered gabbing his jacket and clinging to him.

"I love you too Elena." He said stroking her hair.

"I'm glad you didn't have to do it." Elena admitted pulling back slightly to look up at him.

"Why?" Damon asked.

"Because he's your brother. I didn't want you to kill him. You didn't want to either." She said quietly.

Damon stroked her cheek lightly. "Let's get out of here okay?"

"Yeah." She agreed taking his hand as they walked out of the graveyard.

* * *

Isobel and John were arguing when they got back.

"So Katherine's dead now. No reason for you to keep living." Isobel said.

"But there is." John replied.

"_Lucky us_." Ric muttered under his breath.

"Just leave Elena alone now." Isobel sighed feeling defeated. "I know we didn't want this life for her. But she does. So we just need too stay out of it."

"I couldn't agree more." Elena snapped heading up to her room.

Damon started to follow her.

"It's okay." She said softly. "I just need a few minutes alone to process all of this."

"Okay." He said softly turning to glare at John and Isobel.

"I'm going to take off." Ric muttered. "I've had about enough of the Gilbert family reunion to last me a lifetime."

"Wait." Isobel said. He turned to look at her emotions running over his face.

"Can we talk for a minute outside?" She asked taking his hand. He nodded numbly and followed her. John looked after Isobel and Ric his fangs started to protrude.

"I'm going to check on Jeremy." Ashley said nervously hurrying to the basement.

"Harboring feelings John?" Damon snarked.

"Ah.. Damon. Alone at last are we?" John sneered back.

"I couldn't be more thrilled." Damon smirked.

"I think their is a little talk we need to have." John said walking over to the wet bar to help himself to Damon's booze.

"And just what talk would that be John?" Damon asked raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Every guys favorite talk." John remarked.

"Damon." John said staring at him. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Damon smirked. "Oh... that _talk_. Well unfortunately Elena's dad is dead. So you can go."

"I am still her father." John said roughly.

"Then I guess this is the part where I ask you for her hand in marriage then." Damon said smiling slightly as John's eyes widened.

"I didn't mean.. I .." John stuttered. "She's only 18 Damon."

"Well you asked me what my intentions were. I'm being honest. It's a new quirk I have. Courtesy of Elena." Damon replied. "_Relax_. I don't know when I'm going to ask her yet or if she'll even say yes. But_ you _brought it up man."

"And if I say no?" John asked.

"Won't stop us." Damon said helping himself to his own glass of bourbon.

"Then you could really care less either way." John remarked.

"But she cares." Damon replied. "She would be happier if you accepted it and stopped trying to fight her on her choices."

John sighed and stared hard at Damon.

"John listen." Damon said finally breaking the tension. "I won't ever hurt her not ever. I will never let any harm come to her. She is protected when it comes to me."

"You will turn her." John stated.

"Only if it's what she wants." Damon replied. "You would be hypocrite to judge her if that's the choice she makes."

"Fine." John grumbled. "You have my blessing. Don't screw it up."

"I won't." Damon said his eyes completely open and serious.

John nodded slowly. "I just want her to be happy."

"She will be." Damon promised.

"Alright then. I need to get out of this town for a while and feed. I'll check in from time to time."John said quietly.

"See ya 'round then Dad." Damon said with a large smirk as John grimaced.

"Related to Damon Salvatore what is the world coming to." John asked himself as he left.

"I'll keep her fully satisfied in the bedroom too John." Damon blurted out just as John was out the door.

"Son of a bitch." John muttered punching the side of the house.

* * *

_**AN: This is the final chapter but I split it into 2 parts because it was just too long. The second part should be up tonight and I will do epilogue chapter as well. This story has been so fun to write. Huge thanks to everyone for the reviews and reading! Please review!**_


	25. Aftermath part two

**Chapter 25: Aftermath part two**

"Jeremy?" Ashley called as she walked into the basement.

"I don't want to talk about it." He muttered from his room. He was sitting on the couch staring at a blank TV screen and sipping on a glass of blood.

"Please Jeremy." Ashley said quietly. "We have to talk about these things."

"No, Ash." Jeremy shook his head. "We don't."

"Jeremy why are you acting like this? You were talking to me about everything. Something changed didn't it? I could feel it. After you drank my blood you started looking at me differently." Ashley said feeling her heart beat pick up.

"It's not that.. it.. well it was." he sighed. "Look. I mourned Vicki. I was depressed over her death for a long time. But in my own way I dealt with it and moved on. But I never mourned Anna. I turned myself and controlling the blood lust and finding my sister took precedence."

"And now that your uncle is here.." Ashley started realizing what he was getting it.

"Don't bring him up." Jeremy muttered.

"Mourn her now then Jeremy." Ashley said. "I will be here with you every step of the way."

"That's the problem Ashley." Jeremy sighed. "I don't want to mourn her. I want her to be alive. I still love her and when I drank your blood I felt like I was being disloyal to her."

"Jeremy." Ashley said. "You drank my blood to save your sister and kill Katherine. Not for your pleasure."

"It still gave me pleasure." He said quietly. "Just like everything else you do. I love being around you. I had so much fun on our date today. I can see myself falling for you... but _how_ can I do that when I still love Anna?"

"Anna is gone." Ashley said quietly. "But I am not. You are not being disloyal to her by moving on with your life. Don't you think she would want you to be happy?"

"I know she would." Jeremy said softly taking her hand.

"Then stop feeling so guilty about things you can't control. Instead why not feel good about what you did tonight?" Ashley said squeezing his hand.

"I don't want to replace her Jeremy." Ashley added peering into his eyes. "I understand if you still love her. I just want to be around you see where things go with us. But I will never judge you or get angry with you if you need a day to think about her."

"What about your life Ashley?" Jeremy asked. "You can't just throw it all away for me."

"Jeremy." She said kissing his cheek. "My life now has you in it. Whatever that entails. I'm not throwing anything away here. So don't throw me away okay?"

He looked at her for a long moment and finally kissed her softly.

"I won't." He whispered.

* * *

"So?" Ric asked as Isobel stood in front of him.

"I just wanted to thank you." She said avoiding his eyes.

"Thank me?"

"For helping my daughter." Isobel replied.

"I did it for Elena." Ric frowned. "Not for you."

"I know that." Isobel said. "But I am still appreciative."

"Ric I'm sorry." Isobel said.

"It's a little late for that now isn't it?" Ric muttered.

"Maybe." She nodded. "I've changed over the past year. When I became a vampire I shut my humanity off. I never intended to reopen it. Then I watched Bonnie erase Elena's life and felt regret for the first time in a long time. It opened some stuff up. The last time I felt regret like that was the day I left you."

"Am I supposed to feel better? Knowing you regretted it?" He asked.

"I hoped you would." She said. "I told you this before.. but I compelled you to forget. Ric I want your heart to be free of me. Move on."

"I already am." he said honestly."I am falling for Jenna."

"Good." Isobel said swallowing hard. "I want you to be happy."

"Good bye Ric." She said softly as he walked to his car.

* * *

Elena got of the shower and put on one of Damon's black t shirts. She sighed as she sat on the bed and opened her diary. She felt a gust of wind and looked up.

"What do you want?" Elena asked.

"I'm leaving. I wanted to say goodbye." Isobel responded.

"Bye." Elena said going back to her diary.

"Elena." Isobel said in a more commanding tone.

Elena looked up and Isobel's brown eyes were sad and distant she looked.. human?

"Thank you for forgiving me. I don't deserve it." Isobel said.

"I know you don't." Elena said. "But you are my mother."

"Your wrong by the way." Isobel said. "About the apple not falling far from the tree. You may not be cold and heartless like me. But you have an inner strength and a fire in you that I always had."

"I'm nothing like you." Elena said quietly.

"You were never fully satisfied in life.. always felt something was missing then was you met the Salvatore's and realized what that thing was." Isobel continued pressing something into Elena's hand.

Elena opened it and looked at the small silver locket with the beautiful lapis stone in the middle.

"Why?" Elena asked but Isobel was gone. Elena opened the locket and found a tiny picture of Isobel holding her as a baby and felt the tears slide down her face.

"Thank you." Elena said out loud knowing Isobel could hear her.

"Elena?" Damon came in quietly. "Was Isobel in here?"

"She gave me this." Elena said showing him the locket. His eyes widened as he looked at the picture.

"She loves you." Damon said softly. "She just doesn't know how to show it."

"I know." Elena said softly she buried her head into Damon's chest and felt his scent start to calm her.

"Is everyone gone?" She asked.

"Finally." He said. "Thanks for leaving me with your family."

She laughed slightly. "What you said you love family time remember?"

He chucked. "I had a nice little _bonding_ moment with your father tonight."

"No way." Elena smirked. "You didn't hit him or anything did you?"

"No we bonded." Damon said again. "He asked me what my intentions were with you so I told him."

"Ah." Elena smiled. "And what did you tell him?"

"The truth." Damon shrugged pulling her into his arms and kissing her head.

"Which is?" Elena asked.

"That I will never hurt you and I will always make you happy." He said. "I promised him I wouldn't turn you unless it was what _you_ wanted and I made sure he knew I would keep you satisfied in bed."

Elena laughed feeling the tension of the horrible night start to fade as she pictured John's face when Damon said that.

"I also asked him for his permission to marry you." Damon said quietly.

"Marry me?" Elena whispered.

"I don't mean right now. I know how young you are. Your my soul mate. Their will be no woman after you. I want to spend the rest of your life however long you decide that's going to be. With you and I want you to be my wife someday."

"You do?" Elena breathed.

"Of course I do." He said. "I'm not great with this mushy stuff. But you know how deeply I love you. I want to be the one who gets to hold you every night and take care of you...make you happy."

"I want that too." She said kissing his cheek a stray tear dripped down her cheek and he kissed it away.

He kissed her passionately running his hands through her long silky hair and smiling wider then he ever had.

"So when are you going to do it?" Elena asked.

"Hm?" Damon said nuzzling her neck.

"Ask me I mean.. when?"

"Ask you what?" He asked teasingly.

"Come on Damon." Elena laughed as he hit a ticklish spot. "Tell me.. I want to know how long I'm supposed to wait."

"That's for me to know and you to, dot dot dot" He smirked.

"Damon!" She admonished slapping his arm.

"Domestic abuse already?" He said holding his arm.

"Please?" She asked. "Just a general time range will work."

"That my dear Elena would take away the surprise." He said kissing her quickly.

"Fine." She sighed frowning slightly. "What did John say?"

"He gave us his blessing." Damon said sounding surprised.

"Really?" Elena asked.

"Yup." Damon said. "Then he punched a hole into the side of our house."

Elena chuckled. "Crazy vamp parents. I hope you realize what you are signing up for Damon."

"I know exactly what I'm signing up for princess." He said kissing her deeply.

"Just so you know. I'm not to young." She whispered into his ear.

His stared into her brown eyes full of her love for him and felt swept away. He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

"Good." He said his eyes staring intensely into hers. "I don't want to wait long."

~the end~

* * *

I_** hope you enjoyed! I am working on an epilogue and then this story will be completely wrapped up. I hope you liked the story and the ending! Please review!**_


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